


Episode 1: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers

by RationalCashew



Series: Son of the Dragon, Season 1 [1]
Category: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Power Rangers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-07
Updated: 2019-09-07
Packaged: 2020-10-12 00:23:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 21,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20555156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RationalCashew/pseuds/RationalCashew
Summary: In the wake of a tragic event, Dr. Tommy Oliver moves his family from Reefside back to Angel Grove in the hopes of giving them a fresh start. What he didn’t count on was his oldest son being chosen as a Power Ranger.(PLEASE read the initial notes as there is important info contained in them!)





	1. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve been working on this story for about 5 years now. It started off as a project when I was in film school and I decided, after much convincing by mates of mine, to put it in a fic. There are some important things to note regarding this series:  
1\. Format/posting: Because of the way my project was laid out in film school, I am writing these by episode (I had to made a three-five season episode guide). Each episode will be about 10 chapters and I’ll be following the guide I created. I’ll be posting each episode all at once so, you’ll get like 10 chapters all at once. It might be a little bit while I work on each episode so, bear with me.  
2\. Seasons - I’m breaking up the “seasons” and putting them in one collection (Season 1 will be its own collection, season 2, etc.). This is the first one.  
3\. Content - this is rated T because of language, mostly (any other ratings WILL BE posted at the beginning of each chapter for that particular episode). It was intended to be for an older audience and is quite a bit darker than what we (or, at least I) grew to know (I remember when the pilot first aired!). The project was intended for like CW or Netflix so, I’m writing this with that in mind. There will be underage drinking, smoking, and drug use (or references to that, so this is your warning).  
4\. Trust me! - I’ve not only had a special place for this franchise in my heart since the pilot aired (which I remember!) but I’ve spent years studying it, not just being a fan—even at my age. It follows canon laid out on TV and in the Boom! Comics series, but, yes, I have taken a few liberties. This story DOES NOT take into account the events of “Soul of the Dragon” because I didn’t like SPD. Maybe, you can pretend it does, int the future, but at the time of this story, it does not.  
5\. Characters/story - I have been building these characters (the original characters) for the last 5 years and developing the story even after the project. If something doesn’t make sense yet, it will. Any recognizable characters, I didn’t make them up and I don’t own them. Before anyone says “what the hell? They were turned human!” regarding Rita and Zedd, trust me. I know. It’ll all make sense and it does follow canon so if you read the comic, you already know how they’re not; if you haven’t, you’ll find out. I promise. :)

The alarms blared loudly. She watched, cautiously, as she descended the steps into the Power Chamber. Alpha frantically moved from console to console, occasionally throwing his robotic arms in distress.

“What is it, Alpha?” She demanded.

“Aye-yi-yi!” he responded. “The Serpentera’s energy signature is in close proximity!”

The Serpentera?

“Display it on the viewing globe.”

Within seconds, the serpent-like ship was floating in space, directly above the planet on the crystal sphere.

“It can’t be…” she faced the neurotic robot. “I thought Lord Zedd became human with Zordon’s sacrifice.”

“He did!”

“Then, who commands the Serpentera?”

Alpha maneuvered to the console nearest to him.

“I am already running a scam to determine that information. We should know momentarily.” The few seconds that passed felt like an eternity. “Aye-yi-yi-yi-yi!”

A pit formed in her stomach.

“Lord Zedd!” Alpha announced.

“Lord Zedd?”

“And, Rita Repulsa’s bio-signature is present as well!”

“How is this possible?”

“I don’t know!”

“Can you determine its destination?”

Again, the robot worked the console.

“At its current trajectory, the Serpentera will arrive on the moon in… _two hours_!”

She glanced, defeated, to the viewing globe and watched as the enemy vessel floated through the galaxy.

“Then, they have returned.”


	2. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Part 2

Dr. Tommy Oliver drove through the streets of Reefside, California. The first week of school was always a long and exhausting one. That wasn’t to say that he didn’t love being a high school teacher, he most certainly did. It felt like he was making a difference in a way that he hadn’t since he was a teenager and was a Power Ranger.

But, those days were behind him. Mostly. There had been a stint where he’d, once again, answered that call. While, in a way, it had felt good, there was no longer a need for the Dino Thunder Rangers and they had, thus, dismantled.

He often wondered how those kids were faring. They’d long since graduated and gone off to college. Silently, Tommy wished them the best.

This school year would be different. He was only at the school part of the day this week. The rest of the time, he spent at home, packing.

He’d been offered a position teaching biology in Angel Grove. If not for Jay, he’d have turned down the offer. He loved living in Reefside. His family loved living there, too. In fact, it was the only place his children had ever lived. Reefside was home.

But, then, the accident happened and everything changed. Jay, his oldest child, had become withdrawn and cumbersome when he used to be such a happy child. Tommy wanted nothing more than to fix it for the teenager, but there was nothing he could do.

That’s why he was headed home so early in the day. He’d been called into his boss’s office. It was only the third day of school and Jay had skipped four classes and was already in trouble for fighting.

As Tommy slowed the vehicle at a red light, he thought back to the previous school year. Jay had been a sophomore and well on his way to the brightest of futures. He was the school’s star hockey player and president of his class. He was the school’s golden boy. Tommy couldn’t have been more proud.

Then, the accident happened and part of Jay had died along with Jamie.

Jamie.

The loss of his best friend had hit Jay harder than anything should hit someone that young. The boys had been driving on a windy road on the outskirts of town. As parents, they’d been told that a deer jumped out in front of the speeding Jeep and Jay, the driver, had panicked, sending the vehicle rolling down the steep hill where the only force to stop it was the tree the Jeep wrapped around.

Jamie had been killed on impact. Somehow, Jay had managed to call 911. After two weeks of being unconscious in the hospital, he didn’t remember anything— except for watching the paramedics take Jamie away on a stretcher.

When Jay woke, they had been relieved. His doctors had told them that it was possible their son wouldn’t wake. He’d been severely injured and had had multiple surgeries. They didn’t know, in that happy moment, that Jay woke up different. He wasn’t the same boy he’d been when he’d said goodbye to them after his hockey game and part of Tommy wondered if that boy was still inside his son somewhere.

A horn honked, getting his attention. He glanced up. The light had turned green.

With a sigh, pressed down on the gas, letting his mind return to its rumination.

Jay was the reason that he’d accepted the position at Angel Grove High School. The potential fresh start was the reason they were returning to that city. Jay needed it. They all did.

When he pulled in the driveway, he frowned. Evan’s bike was still sitting in the middle of the yard. He’d told his youngest child, before leaving the house that morning, to put the bike in the garage.

With a sigh, Tommy killed the engine and grabbed his bag from the passenger’s seat. He leaned the bike against the porch and entered the house.

Moving boxes littered the floor. The TV played some kids’ show he’d never seen. Evan was passed out on the couch.

Tommy set his bag by the door, grabbed the remote from the coffee table, and shut off the television before following the sounds of someone rummaging about in the kitchen.

When he got there, Kat was digging around in the fridge.

“Hey,” he greeted softly, causing her to jump. He couldn’t help but chuckle.

“You scared me!” She gasped. “What are you doing home so early?”

He shrugged. “I finished up the last of what I needed to do at the school. Thought I’d come help you pack.”

“I didn’t hear you come in,” she replied, closing the fridge without removing any of its contents.

“Evan’s asleep on the couch. I didn’t want to wake him.”

His wife sighed. “His fever must be back up.” She studied him for a moment. “What’s wrong?”

It was Tommy’s turn to sigh. “Gavin pulled me into his office earlier.”

Kat frowned in frustration. “What did he do this time?”

“Same thing he always does.” Kat pinched the bridge of her nose. “This has to stop, Kat. The fighting, the acting out.”

“What are we supposed to do, Tommy?” She asked in defeat. “We can’t force him to get better. His psychiatrist said it’ll happen when it happens.”

“I know. But, he can’t keep getting away with this. It’s unacceptable.”

“He’s in _pain_. He blames himself.”

Tommy didn’t reply. She was right, of course. “Survivor’s guilt” was what Jay’s psychiatrist had called it. Survivor’s guilt and post-traumatic stress disorder. He knew that they couldn’t force Jay to heal.

Healing, however, wasn’t the problem. Not really.

The problem was that it seemed like Jay didn’t _want_ to heal from it. The sixteen-year-old was punishing himself. That was what Tommy found unacceptable.

What had happened was an accident and he had no way to make Jay see that.

* * *

He stared out over the football field from his spot on the aluminum bleachers. It was no more special than the school itself. The team practicing below wasn’t even worth mentioning.

Reefside High School had one thing going for it: hockey. It had a stellar hockey team. They were State champions two years ago and probably would’ve been last year, too.

But, he wouldn’t lead them to victory this season because Jay Oliver didn’t play hockey anymore. He didn’t do much of _anything_ anymore. He still sketched, like he was doing now. And, he still played his piano. Sometimes.

The truth was that nothing held any interest for him anymore.

How could it?

Jay drew the half-smoked cigarette to his lips and took a drag. This was how he got by. Cigarettes and an absurdly high dose of Prozac.

His shrink had called it “survivor’s guilt,” but how couldn’t it be that when he was the reason Jamie was dead in the first place.

Jamie didn’t want to go to that party. Jay had talked him into it. Thirty minutes before he drove Jamie’s Jeep off a cliff.

They told him it was a deer, but he didn’t remember that. He told everyone that he had no memory at all, but it was a lie. He remembered _some_ things.

Jay remembered the panic he felt. He remembered the feeling of the Jeep plummeting into the wooded area below. He remembered Jamie screaming beside him in the passenger’s seat. He remembered how it felt like everything was happening in slow motion.

When he closed his eyes, Jay remembered watching from the back of an ambulance as the paramedics pushed Jamie’s body away on a stretcher, a black sheet covering him. He remembered the flashes of blue and red lights from emergency vehicles outside of his line of sight. He remembered how everything slowly faded to black.

They’d called it a modern miracle when he woke; a blessing. But, their blessing was his curse. He went from being king of the world to being radioactive.

Jay could never tell them that he wished he hadn’t woken up at all. All he had left was a desperate need to feeling something, to feel anything. Anything at all.

But, he was empty inside.

So, he provoked people relentlessly until they beat the living shit out of him. Physical pain was the only indicator that he had of being alive.

His family didn’t understand it. How could they? None of them had ever killed anyone.

Jay’s phone buzzed in his pocket, his ringtone replacing the rock band screaming a lullaby into his ears.

_Dad Calling._

He stared at the screen for a moment before declining the call and shoving the iPhone back in his pocket.

He couldn’t deal with this right now.

* * *

_It’s Jay. You know what to do._

Beeeeeeeeep.

Tommy sighed and hung up the phone without a leaving a message. His son wouldn’t listen to it anyway.

Kat shot him a questioning look but he shook his head in response and joined his family at the table. Neither of his other children said anything. Evan poked at his food, moving it around the plate with his fork. Although, he presumed, it likely had something to do with the stomach bug the boy had contracted. Jenna would look up occasionally but, at least, she was eating. Not much, but it was more than the rest of them.

Tommy, for his part, didn’t have much of an appetite. It seemed like Kat didn’t, either.

He’d feel better when they arrived at the new house, he told himself; when all of this was behind them.

They’d argued about whether or not to move when he’d been offered the position at Angel Grove High. Kat’s argument had been a logical one. Reefside started school two weeks earlier than Angel Grove did. She had the gymnastics gym and dance studio to run. They had jobs, a home.

Staying made complete sense.

But, Jay didn’t belong there anymore. Tommy knew that he would never be able to heal, to put this behind him and move forward with his life, if he didn’t get the teenager out of there.

How could he? Everyone treated him like a time bomb when they weren’t walking on eggshells around him.

He’d made that counterpoint and that was all it took.

Jay.

  
It was close to ten when Tommy heard the familiar sound of a melancholy melody coming from Jay’s bedroom.

“When did he get home?”

“Not long after you got in the shower.”

“Did he say where he was?”

“No,” his wife sighed. “But, I have a pretty good guess.”

Tommy exhaled a sigh. “Did you ground him?”

“I didn’t see the point,” Kat confessed. “We’re leaving in a couple of days, anyway.”

There was a moment of silence before he spoke up again. “I should probably go talk to him.”

Kat shot a sympathetic look his way and Tommy made for the stairs and his oldest child’s room.

The door was shut when he arrived, not that he’d expected anything different. Jay retreated into the sanctuary of his room as easily as he did the recesses of his mind. It was a scary notion given that he was still only sixteen.

Tommy knocked lightly on the door. When Jay didn’t answer, he opened it cautiously.

Jay’s room was immaculate. His books lined the bookshelf exactly one inch from the edge, in alphabetical order by author. His bed was made with military precision. Not a speck of dust would be found in there.

The only sign of clutter was the empty moving boxes still in the far corner. He hadn’t touched a thing.

The pill bottle on the nightstand caught Tommy’s eye. Jay’s anxiety medication. Part of him wondered how much help it was. It didn’t seem to be doing much but, then again, how would he know? Jay didn’t talk to him about anything anymore.

“Want to tell me what happened?” He asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

Jay’s back stayed to him and his fingers continued to dance along the keys.

“I got my ass kicked,” he deadpanned.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Yes, it is. You want to know why Johnson pulled you into his office.”

Tommy ran a hand over his mouth in frustration before finally asking, “Why’d it start?” His son didn’t respond. “Jay.”

“He took my sketchbook.”

“So, you broke his nose.”

“No, I broke his nose because he’s a dick.”

“You’re lucky his family didn’t press charges,” Tommy scolded. Jay ignored him. With a sigh, he said, “You can’t keep doing this, Jay.”

Jay stopped playing and faced him with a deadly seriousness that sent a shiver down his father’s spine.

“Yeah? What’s that, Dad?” Jay challenged in an icy tone.

“Punishing yourself,” Tommy said simply.

Jay swallowed hard and said, “If not me, then who?”

“This isn’t healthy, Jay,” he replied softly.

The muscles in Jay’s jaw clenched and he turned around, returning his fingers to the weighted keys on the electric piano.

Tommy rose with a sigh knowing the conversation was over at that point. If he pushed any harder, Jay might shut down completely and that was something he couldn’t risk. He walked toward his son, catching sight of the sheet music.

It wasn’t sheet music at all. It was a picture Jay had drawn, a sketch from the point of view of someone in the back of an ambulance. A person was on a stretcher, being pushed away by paramedics. It didn’t take an advanced degree in psychology to know the scene depicted on the nine by eleven sheet of paper. It was Jay’s truth.

The music coming out of his soul wasn’t Jay’s song at all.

It was Jamie’s.


	3. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Part 3

The SUV slowed to a stop in the teachers’ parking lot. Jay was already removing his seatbelt when Tommy faced him. The boy looked ready to run.

“You ready for this?”

“What? New town, new school, new me?” Jay retorted.

“It’s a fresh start, Jay.”

“So I’ve heard. The problem is,” he said, opening the door, “a new town, a new school… it won’t change what happened. Nor the fact that I have to live with it.”

With that, he shut the door, flung his backpack over his shoulder, and headed toward the building.

Tommy heaved a sigh. Jay was right, but it didn’t mean that he couldn’t hit the proverbial reset button.

He thought back to the box that was stashed in his home office, the box Jay had intended to leave behind.

_“Tommy?” Kat called._

_“In here!” He replied from the center of what was Jay’s room, now void of everything that had once filled it. He turned around and caught sight of a box sticking out of Jay’s closet._

_As he drew closer, he noticed a shirt draped over some trophies. His hockey trophies, Tommy realized. Jay hadn’t forgotten the box at all; he’d meant to leave it behind._

_Tommy knelt down and lifted the shirt, coming face to face with the white “Oliver” printed above the number seventeen. Jay’s hockey jersey. He turned the jersey around and ran his thumb over the captain’s C by the left shoulder._

_Something caught Tommy’s attention. He reached in the box and pulled out a framed photo. Jay and Jamie stood outside the school, thick as thieves, in their hockey gear with smiles plastered to their faces. It had been taken right after they’d won the game that took them into the playoffs. A few games before the accident._

_He looked up to find Kat looking down at him curiously. Tommy turned the photo toward her and her face softened._

_With a sigh, he returned the photo and the jersey to the box, picked it up, and carried it out to his SUV._

* * *

Jay stood at his locker, fumbling with the lock. He was due at the counselor’s office in a few minutes but he didn’t really care.

He tugged at the lock. Again, it didn’t open.

“Damn it,” he growled.

“I know he’s a noob because there’s no way you’re a seasoned player and that much of a potato,” someone with an Australian accent said. Jay glanced out the corner of his eye to see three other boys, that could not have looked more like they were from different worlds, slow to a stop a couple of lockers down.

“Agreed,” the All-American said.

“So,” the Australian continued, laughing as he went on with his story. “I tell him the only way to fix the glitch is to drop the wand, hit ALT-F4, and pick it up again.” The Aussie erupted into a fit of laughter. “The wanker actually did it! I thought I was going to die!”

“What’d you do?” The scrawnier kid asked as he jostled with his own locker.

“The bloody hell do you think I did? I picked up the wand, put it in my stash, and left the game!”

“You’re gonna get banned,” the scrawny kid said. “You do realize that, right?”

“Nah,” The All-American said. “He’ll end up with a sub-Reddit dedicated to how much of a dick he is.”

“A sub-Reddit which I will troll with pride,” the Aussie retorted as Jay finally won the battle with his locker. “It was my smurf account, anyway. My main remains unblemished.”

That was all Jay heard before he was slamming his locker shut and making his way to the counselor’s office.

* * *

“Who was that guy?” Cameron asked, watching the stranger as he walked away.

“What guy?” Riley asked, still chuckling about the wand he’d stolen from some unsuspecting player.

“The dude at Kyle’s old locker.”

“Didn’t see him, mate.”

“Probably the—.”

“Would one of you idiots _please_ tell me Kalyn’s here today.” Cameron looked up in time to see Bri walking toward them with a sense of purpose. Although she’d asked the group of them, her gaze was zeroed in on him.

“I’m not my sister’s keeper,” he retorted. “She arrived with me. No clue where she is.”

“You’re a terrible twin, Cam. Anyone ever tell you that?”

Cameron grinned. “You just did.”

Bri rolled her eyes. “If you see her, tell her I’m looking for her.”

“Don’t you have class together first period?” He retorted.

“Second period.”

“I gotta go,” Drew announced. “I have to be in the counselor’s office…” he glanced at his watch. “Two minutes ago.”

“Why?” Riley asked.

“New kid.”

“That concerns you because…?”

“I’m his P.A.L.”

“His _pal_?”

“Peer Assisted Leader. I’m in the program this year.”

Riley made a disapproving face and asked, “Why?”

Drew shrugged. “Looks good on college applications.” He slammed his locker shut and said, “See ya in third.”

When Cam looked up, Bri was still glowering at him.

“I really don’t know where Kalyn is. Sorry.”

With that, he disappeared into the sea of students as he headed to biology.

* * *

“Ah! There he is!” The counselor said. Jay turned around to see the scrawny kid from the lockers. “Drew Sullivan meet Jason Oliver.”

“Jay,” he corrected.

“Jay,” the counselor repeated. Drew offered a hand and Jay reluctantly accepted it.

After more awkward conversation, most of which Jay tuned out, he was roaming the now-empty hall with Drew.

“So, what do you think of Angel Grove?” Drew asked.

“I hate it.”

He shrugged. “It’s not so bad. I moved here from Chicago.”

“So, what, they stuck the new kids together?”

Drew coughed awkwardly. “Uh, no, actually. I moved here in the sixth grade.” If he caught the dumbfounded look that Jay knew was on his face, he didn’t show it. Instead, he continued, “That’s partly why I joined the P.A.L. program—.”

“Pal?”

“Peer Assisted Leaders. Basically, we—.”

“Make the new kids feel welcome. Got it.” He added a facetious, “Well done.”

It was a dickish thing to say and Jay knew it. He sighed. “Sorry. You’re being nice. I’m being an asshole.” He swallowed. “Look, if you’ll just show me to The Pit, I’ll tell everyone how good you are at your job.” Drew made a face. “The Pit?” He still wasn’t getting it. “Where people go before they break out in a nicotine fit? The place where the door doesn’t shut all the way? Smoke break?”

Wow, this kid was dense.

“Um… sometimes, people congregate by the dumpsters just outside the science wing.”

Jay grinned. He knew where that was. He’d had chemistry last period.

“That, my _pal_, would be The Pit.”

“P.A.L.”

“Whatever.”

Jay slapped Drew on the bicep and took off down the hall.

  
When he made it outside, he received glares from the handful of other miscreants. Some of them were smoking, others were getting high.

Jay pulled the pack of cigarettes and his trusty Zippo from his pocket and lit one in time for the door to fling open. He didn’t see it, rather heard it. The other students scrambled and couldn’t get away fast enough.

“Seriously?” His father demanded.

“How’d you know?” He retorted with a smirk.

“You walked right by my classroom.” His father paused before adding, “Don’t you have a class to be in?”

“Don’t you have one to teach?” He retorted, bringing the cigarette back to his lips.

“Planning period.”

“Free period.”

His father sighed. “This has to stop, Jay. This is supposed to be a fresh start.” He nodded to the cigarette. “That means new habits, too.”

“This is a new habit. It’s not, exactly, a joint.”  
  
Jay exhaled a puff of smoke before bringing the cigarette back to his lips. Before he could take another drag, his father was removing the cigarette from his hand and stomping it out.

“Get to class. We’ll talk about this later.”

“What, no detention?”

“Don’t tempt me. Class. Now.”

“I don’t have class. Thus, the smoke break.”

“Go to the library then.”

Jay growled in frustration.

“Now, Jason.”

Jason. Wow. His dad was pissed.

* * *

Jay stared out the window, silently wondering if anyone would noticed him climb out of it. For a class he usually enjoyed, this history teacher was boring. He’d been at this school for two weeks now and it was equally as shitty two weeks in as it was when he’d first gotten there.

He droned on about World War I, a topic in which Jay was proficient. He knew all about both World Wars, even details most people didn’t. They’d always fascinated him for some reason.

“And, Belgium was important to this… why?” The teacher asked. No one answered. “Mr. Waltham. Why don’t you remove your hat and enlighten your classmates?”

“Sorry, Mate,” The Australian kid replied. “I’m not from Belgium.”

Jay heard a few people snicker.

“Take the hat off,” the teacher ordered. “I want a one-page paper on Australia’s participation in World War I. It’s due tomorrow.”

Jay glanced over. The Aussie boy sighed but removed his hat.

“Belgium was neutral territory,” Jay blurted, getting the attention of his instructor and a few of his fellow classmates.

“Ah. Mister… Oliver, is it?”

“Jay.”

“Well, you’re absolutely right, Jay. Care to explain to your classmates why?”

“The Germans broke the neutrality when they marched through Belgium on their way to France.”

“You know your history!” His teacher praised.

“Someone has to,” Jay grumbled as they bell signaled the end of the school day.

“Read chapter four for tomorrow. There _will_ be a quiz!”

When Jay got to his locker, he heaved a sigh.

“Hey,” a voice said. He glanced over to find a girl talking to him and arched an eyebrow.

“Hey.”

“You’re new.”

“And, you have a knack for pointing out the obvious.”

She rolled her eyes. “A few of us are going to the Snack Shack after school if you want to join us.”

“Thanks but pass.”

“So you can go to the park and read?”

“Are you stalking me?”

“No,” she replied simply. “We spend a lot of time there. You sit and read under the same tree. Or, at least, you have for the last week.”

“That’s not creepy at all,” he deadpanned.

She rolled her eyes again. “Well, you’re welcome to join us.”

“Why do you care what I do in my free time?”

She shrugged. “I don’t. Just thought you might want some friends.”

“No offense, but I think I’ll just read my book.”

“Well, you know where to find us if you change your mind.”

With that, she scampered off and Jay watched as she approached her group of friends.

* * *

A football landed a few feet from him, stealing Jay’s attention away from a his book. A blonde girl in a pink shirt jogged her way to it.

“Sorry,” she said. “Didn’t mean to interrupt you.”

“You’re fine,” he replied, returning his attention to the novel in his hands.

“Moby Dick? Ambitious.”

“I appreciate the irony,” Jay retorted without looking up.

“Kalyn! Come on!” A voice that Jay recognized as the quarterback that was usually blocking his locker called.

“Just a minute, Cam!” She snapped back. “Want to play?”

Jay looked up, silent for a moment. “Uh… no. Actually, I think I’m just gonna…” he held up the book.

“Well, if you change your mind, we could use another player.”

Jay only nodded and Kalyn turn to walk back to her friends. For his part, Jay could only watch as she went. There was something special about that girl that he couldn’t put his finger on. Regardless, she was going to important to him. That, he knew for certain.


	4. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Part 4

“Help me out, mate,” Riley said, popping a chili cheese fry into his mouth as he glanced to Cameron.

“With what?”

“Convincing your sister that he’s not going to show.”

Kalyn frowned. “He might.”

“You’ve invited him to hang out with us every day for the last week and every day he goes to the park and reads. What makes you think that today is going to be any different?”

“Our foreign friend has a point, sis,” Cameron interjected. “Besides, what do we even know about him?”

“He’s hot,” Bri deadpanned.

“Well,” Drew chimed in, “his dad is that new biology teacher. Which, I’m surprised Bri didn’t know.”

“I _did_ know. You just beat me to it. I know a lot more than that, too.”

The group looked at Bri with a collective look of expectancy and she rolled her eyes. “His dad is the hot biology teacher. He plays sports. He’s from Reefside. He reads a lot—yes, Riley, I know— and he draws.” She paused before adding, “Oh! And, apparently, he plays the piano. I haven’t been able to confirm that tidbit, though.”

“Sports, huh?” Cameron replied. “What’s he play?”

“Hockey,” a voice said from behind them. The group faced the speaker in unison, coming face to face with none other than Jay Oliver.

“I’ll be damned,” Riley said.

“Hockey, huh?” Cam replied. “You any good?”

“I was. Don’t play anymore, though.”

“Hi,” Kalyn greeted shyly. “Um, Jay this is my brother, Cam. This is Drew. Riley. And, Bri,” she introduced them, pointing to each person in turn.

“Jay,” he replied awkwardly.

“Have a seat,” Bri said with a knowing smirk on her face, scooting over so her best friend could sit by her new crush.

“Uh, thanks,” he replied awkwardly, snagging a chair from a nearby table before joining them. He snorted in amusement. “I can’t believe this place still has a Youth Center. I thought those died out with the nineties. It’s all YMCA now.”

Drew shrugged. “We just come here for the Snack Shack.”

Jay nodded absently.

“So, Jay,” Bri prompted. “Tell us about yourself.”

“What do you wanna know?” He replied.

“Why’d you quit playing hockey?” Cam asked.

“It’s complicated.”

“You’re from Reefside, though, right?”

“Yeah.”

Cam shook his head. “Too bad. You guys were bomb. We could use a good player.”

Jay shifted uncomfortably and Kalyn seemed to pick up on it. “So, you’ve been here a couple of weeks now. What do you think?”

“About?”

“Angel Grove.”

“I’ve been here before. I was happy to go home.”

“You’ve been here?” Drew asked.

“My grandmother lives here.”

“Is that why you guys moved here?” Kalyn asked. “To be closer to her?”

“No.” The group waited for him to elaborate, but he didn’t.

“I have to know,” Bri said. “Those hockey players, the ones who died? What happened?”

Jay stiffened. “You know about that?”

“All of _California_ knows about that. It was all over the news.”

Jay exhaled, forcing himself to remain calm. “Only one of them died and they said it was a deer.”

“Jesus,” Drew grimaced. “I can’t even imagine.”

“What happened to one who lived?” Riley asked.

“He’s pretty messed up. Went from being the school’s rising star to radioactive.”

“Christ,” Riley breathed. “That heaps mad.”

“I feel bad for him,” Cameron said. “I can’t imagine losing my teammate like that.”

“They were best friends, too,” Jay added.

Bri studied him for a moment and Jay hoped that she hadn’t figured out to whom he was referring. If she did, she didn’t show it.

“Well, we’re glad you’re here,” Drew offered.

“You don’t even know me,” Jay deadpanned.

“Bloke’s got a point,” Riley said without looking up from his snack.

“Riley!” Kalyn admonished.

He looked up, a fry lifted to his mouth, and said, “What? We _don’t_ know him.” He glanced to Jay tossing a “no offense, mate,” his way and proceeding down the fry.

”None taken,” Jay replied.

“I think what everyone’s trying to say is ‘welcome to our little group’,” Cameron said.

Jay nodded and rose from his seat. He headed to the edge of the balcony overlooking the gym below, and leaned on the railing. A group of young kids were in the middle of a karate class.

“Kind of Angel Grove’s thing,” a voice said. Jay glanced up to find Cameron beside him. “We’re kind of known for karate.”

“Yeah, I know,” Jay sighed in response. “My dad was one of Angel Grove’s karate badasses when he lived here before.”

“You into martial arts?”

“No. My little brother’s into it, but it was never really my thing.”

“Right.” He paused before adding. “We meant what we said about you hanging—.”

“Why are you guys so adamant about being my friends? You don’t know me. You don’t know my history. If you did, you’d get as far away from me as humanly possible.”

Cam studied him. “We all—.”

“No, you don’t. Drew’s forced to hang out with me at school for another week for his program and then he’s free to leave me alone. You guys have no obligation. Hell, he’s not even obligated outside of school hours so, I just don’t get it.”

“He said you were pretty cool guy. We just thought you might like some friends.”

“You thought wrong,” was Jay’s response before he pushed himself off the railing and headed toward the stairs.

Cam glanced back to his friends, confused.

“What did you say to him?” Kalyn demanded.

“Nothing!” He replied defensively. “I told him we were happy to have him hang out with us if he wanted to. He flipped out and took off.”

Kalyn rolled her eyes and took off after the new kid.

  
When she made it outside, Kalyn was surprised to find Jay sitting the bench out front, smoking. He looked like he’d just had a heart attack. She studied him for a moment.

There was something different about him. Most of the time, when a new person showed up to Angel Grove, they acclimated quickly. It was sunny and the temperature was perfect almost every day. Even those with the worst moods were far more smiley after a couple of weeks than they were when they arrived.

Jay, though? Jay Oliver was a new breed. He clung tightly to whatever it was that he’d brought with him. That’s what had given Kalyn pause.

Jay Oliver was good looking, there was no denying that. He was well-dressed. His stylish jet-Black hair made the grey of his eyes pop. His muscles were clearly defined, but not bulky. The industrial in his ear showed a bit of rebellion, if she had to guess. Which, admittedly, she found kind of hot.

There was a haunted look in those grey eyes, though. It was something that Kalyn couldn’t put her finger on. What happened to him?

“Those will give you cancer, you know,” she said walking toward him. He looked up at her in surprise before bringing the cigarette to his lips and looking away. “Mind if I sit?”

He exhaled a puff of smoke and gestured to the open bench beside him.

“I’m sorry about my brother,” she said quietly. “He can be tactless.”

Jay sighed. “It wasn’t his tact.”

“What was it then?”

“Look, I appreciate what you’re trying to do. Really. But, um… I’m not worth it, okay? Just cut your losses and go back to your life.” He took another drag of his cigarette and rose from the bench. “You’re better off that way.”

Before she could respond, he was several feet away and continuing down the street. Kalyn wondered what the hell had just happened.

* * *

Jay entered the house with a sigh to find his parents cuddled on the couch, watching TV.

“Hey!” His mom greeted, far too pleasantly for the mood he was in.

“Hey,” he replied.

“How was your day?”

“Same as always.”

“I saw you talking some people today,” his dad contributed. “I have a couple of those kids in class.”

Jay scoffed. “They’re not my friends, if that’s what your fishing for.”

“I wasn’t… it was just nice to see you talk to people.”

“Don’t get used to it. I’ll be in my room.”

Before they had a chance to respond, Jay was halfway up the stairs.

“I saw you talking to Kalyn O’Connor earlier.” He turned around to see his sister leaning against her doorframe with a smirk on her face and her arms crossed over her chest.

“Not now, Jenna,” he groaned.

“I’m just saying you could do a _lot_ worse.”

He growled in response. “Get it out now. I don’t want to deal with this later.”

Jenna scoffed. “Why are you such a dick, Jay? She was _hitting on you_.”

“She was fishing.”

“Bri, her best friend, was asking around to find out if you’re single.”

“Feel free to tell them I’m not.”

“But, you are…”

“Where are you going with this?” He groaned.

“You need friends, Jay.”

“Why?” He demanded. “Why does everyone _but me_ care whether or not I have friends? Mind your own damn business for a change.”

“You’re such a dick!”

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

“They were being nice to you, idiot! The least you could do is return the favor.”

“They were fishing about _Jamie_, Jenna!” Jay snapped. “They don’t give a damn about _me_, just what I know about the accident.”

Jenna shifted uncomfortably.

“Is that why you stormed out of the Snack Shack?” She asked quietly. “I saw you when I was by the trophy case.”

Jay heaved a sigh. “Yeah. It was, like, one of the first things they asked me. They didn’t even have the decency to find out my favorite color or something first. Just right into ‘you played hockey at Reefside, what happened?’ and ‘did you know him?’ It was like… I don’t know.”

“You can tell people about it, you know. This isn’t Reefside. They’re not going to—.”

“What am I supposed to say? I killed my best friend, wanna hang out?” Jay scoffed. “It doesn’t work that way.”

“Jay, you didn’t kill Jamie. It was an accident.”

“You don’t have any idea what it’s like. Just leave it alone.”

With that, he proceeded to his room, shutting the door behind him. He stood and surveyed it. They’d been in Angel Grove for a couple of weeks now and he had yet to unpack anything that wasn’t essential for daily living.

Jay knew that there wasn’t a chance of returning to Reefside—he didn’t want to even if there was an opportunity. Yet, Angel Grove didn’t feel like home. He was starting to wonder if any place on the planet could.

He didn’t have friends for a reason—didn’t _want_ them for a reason. Anyone with any sense would stay far away from him. So why was this group of people so hellbent on making him one of them?

Every day for the last week, they’d cornered him and asked him to join them at the park, at the Snack Shack, at lunch. Every day, he avoided them like the plague. His books were safer than reality.

He didn’t realize that he’d climbed out of his bedroom window and was sitting on the small patch of roofing outside it until Kalyn O’Connor was waving at him from across the street.

Great. She was his neighbor. How the hell did he miss that?

That was the last thing that he needed right now. For some reason unbeknownst to him, he waved a small wave back and she was motioning for him to come over.

He didn’t want to.

Really.

But, somehow, he found himself standing on her porch and knocking on the door.

She opened it with a smile.

She had a great smile; a kind smile.

“Hey!” She greeted. “Come on in.”

He followed her into the living room where her group of friends sat around a TV. The guys were playing Rock Band while Bri sat on the couch with a soda can in her hand.

“Hey! Look who joined the party!” Cam said, holding a plastic guitar.

“Our mom is out with her boyfriend,” Kalyn explained. “When she has date night, we have game night or a movie night or something.”

“With the advent of Netflix, I find that... strange, actually.”

“Any good at Rock Band?” Riley asked from the drums. “Drew sucks.”

“I resent that!” Drew retorted.

“I didn’t realize people still played Rock Band, honestly,” Jay replied dubiously causing Bri to nearly spit her drink. He only arched an eyebrow in return.

“I _told_ you guys that!” She said after her coughing fit subsided. “I don’t even play video games and I knew that!”

Drew walked to the couch and handed the plastic guitar to Bri as he said, “I’m tapping out.”

He flopped on the couch as Bri walked to Cameron and Riley.

“So, we didn’t get off on the right foot,” Drew said in a tone that Jay couldn’t decipher. “I’m Drew.”

He held out his hand and Jay took it skeptically. “Jay.”

“I’m Cam.”

“Riley.”

“Bri!”

The three standing in front of the TV called out despite being focused on their game.

“I’m Kalyn,” Kalyn said, offering her hand.

“I’m thoroughly confused,” Jay confessed. “What is happening?”

“Well,” she began. “We talked it over after you left and we decided that we’ve been going about this the wrong way.”

“Going about what?”

“Drew’s talked about you quite a bit and we wanted to officially meet you. But, he failed to mention that you’re kind of an introvert.”

“So, you invited me to a _party_? That’s a little counterintuitive.”

Kalyn laughed. “We thought you might like to hang out in a more relaxed setting. Drew’s introverted, too. Actually, Riley’s really the group extrovert.”

“I’m not sure what that means, but I’m pretty sure I resent it!” Riley called from the drums.

Jay studied her. She was serious. And… genuine, to his surprise.

He should get out now before they found out who he really was.

“It’s okay,” Drew said, as though reading his mind. “They were a lot for me to process, too.”

“I thought you came in the sixth grade,” Jay retorted.

“I did. Back when it was only Kalyn, Cam, and Bri. Riley showed up last year.”

“You’re up,” Cam said, holding a plastic guitar to Jay. “It’s a rite of passage.” He had a smirk on his face and Jay knew that he couldn’t refuse. With a sigh, he accepted the plastic guitar.

A couple of hours seemed to go by in only a few minutes before Cam and Kalyn’s mom was walking in the door with her boyfriend and kicking the group out of the house for the night.

“So, you’ll sit with us at lunch tomorrow, then?” Bri asked, leaning on her Prius.

Jay groaned. “Something tells me that I don’t really have a choice.”

She beamed. “Nope. You belong to us now. Accept it.”

He hung his head in defeat and proceeded home.

This time, when he entered the house, the living room was dark and empty. He let out a sigh as he locked up.

“How was your evening?” A voice asked, causing him to jump.

“Jesus! Dad, what the hell?”

“Sorry,” his father chuckled in response. “You were gone awhile.”

“I was across the street with Cameron and Kalyn O’Connor.”

“The whole time?” The older man seemed genuinely shocked. Not that Jay could blame him.

“Yeah. They made me play Rock Band with them.” He shrugged. “I was held hostage.”

His father chuckled. “I’m glad you’re making friends, Jay.”

“That’s-that’s going a little far.”

“Well, either way, I’m glad you had fun.”

“I didn’t say it was fun.”

“Well,” his father tried again. “I’m glad you went. It’s good for you to get out of your room once in awhile.”

“I’m out of my room every day,” Jay countered.

“Son, you read alone in the park or you go to school. That doesn’t really count.”

Jay shrugged. His father grinned.

“I’m going to bed.”

“Good night.”

* * *

Tommy entered the bedroom to find Kat sitting up in bed, reading.

“Jay just got home,” he said, climbing in on his side.

She smiled. “Did he have a good time?”

“Hard to tell, but I think so.”

“I’m glad. He needs to associate with people his age.”

“I agree.”

Kat marked her place in her book, set it on the night stand, and nestled into his side.

“Do you still think moving back was a good idea?” She asked quietly.

Tommy sighed. “I don’t know, Kat. But, at least, he’s not getting high in a cemetery.”

She sighed her agreement.

“It’ll take awhile, but I think Jay’s going to be okay. I really do.”

“Then, we made the right decision.” She was quiet for a moment before saying, “Oh! I think I found a new therapist for him. She comes highly recommended. Angie Bang. I thought I’d schedule an appointment and see what he thinks.”

“He’s hated the last three he’s seen.”

“I think this one will be different. She specializes in PTSD.”

“Where’d you find her?”

“One of my employees recommended her.”

Tommy nodded as though she could see him in the dark.

“You think it’s a bad idea?” She asked.

“I think we should make the appointment and let Jay decide what he thinks. He’ll be the one dealing with her. We’re just paying for it.”

Kat snorted in amusement.

“Night,” Tommy said, pressing a kiss to her temple.

“Night,” she replied, cuddling impossibly closer to him.


	5. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Part 5

Two weeks had passed since Jay played Rock Band with the O’Connors and their friends. Two weeks since he’d somehow acquired a regular lunch group. Two weeks since he developed a crush on Kalyn O’Connor that he had no intention of doing anything about.

Never mind that his sister kept bugging him about asking the girl to the school’s first dance next week. He didn’t have any intention of going to that dance. Too many people.

But, that hadn’t stopped Jenna from asking him about it twice a day, at the very least, and it hadn’t stopped Bri from asking him if he’d planned to ask Kalyn that morning in the library.

Truth be told, Jay was grateful for the nearly quiet coffee shop he’d managed to find that, somehow, no one seemed to find him in. Finally, he had a place where he could read and caffeinate undisturbed.

That was exactly how he’d planned to spend his Saturday. Having friends like the ones who’d adopted him had left little time for reading and his backlog of books was growing. He hated that feeling. While he was enjoying hanging out with him, although he hated to admit it, he was grateful for the quiet that had been lacking in his life lately.

So, while Riley and Drew attended a video game thing, Cameron was doing a football thing, and Bri and Kalyn hung out with the older sister Kalyn was excited about seeing—although, he wasn’t sure if the sister belonged to Bri or Kalyn and Cam, Jay Oliver was going to read.

That was why he didn’t notice when the girls entered the coffee shop and walked right past him until they were standing in front of him.

“Uh, hey,” he said awkwardly, removing an ear bud from his ear. “I thought you guys were going to L.A. or something?”

Bri looked at him like he was an idiot. “No, Andrea was coming _from_ L.A. Jesus, Jay. Don’t you ever pay attention?”

_If only she knew_, he mused.

“Right,” he said. “So, what are you guys doing here?” _Of all places_, he added silently.

“It’s Andrea’s favorite coffee shop when she’s in town.”

“Ah,” he replied, wanting nothing more than for the awkward exchange to be over so he could return to the adventure in his hands.

“You must be the famous Jay,” a red-headed woman who looked to be in her late-twenties or early-thirties said with a smirk. Andrea, he presumed.

“I don’t know that I’d say _famous_.”

“No?” She challenged.

“No.” He glanced to Bri who was smirking.

“Could’ve fooled me,” the woman said. Jay arched an eyebrow. “I hear that you’re an incredible hockey player, a bookworm, and a pianist. Man of many talents.”

“Just a guy. Nothing more; nothing less.”

“I can’t figure out if you’re humble or self-deprecating.”

“Let me guess: you’re a shrink?”

“No, M.D.,” she said, seemingly impressed and not noticing that Kalyn had walked up behind her. “Good guess, though. What made you assume that?”

“The method in which you chose to broker this entire conversation,” he deadpanned in response.

“Observant.”

“I’ve spent a lot of time around shrinks.” He nodded to Kalyn. “Hey, Kalyn.”

“I see you’ve met my sister,” she replied, shooting a glare at the woman.

“Sort of,” he replied.

“Andrea shrinked him,” Bri said in a self-satisfied tone that was enough to tell Jay the entire conversation was her doing.

“_Shrunk_,” Jay corrected. “The-the past tense of ‘shrink’ is ‘shrunk’.” Bri only glared in response. Andrea continued to smirk.

“Sorry,” Kalyn said with a wince. Jay only waved it off.

“So,” Andrea continued, “care to join us for lunch, Jay?”

“No, thanks. I’m just gonna read.”

“The Three Musketeers?”

“I’m feeling nostalgic.”

Andrea arched an eyebrow as though sizing him up, but shrugged and said, “Your loss.”

“Duly noted.” He faced Kalyn and Bri. “See ya later.”

With that, Jay returned to his reading.

* * *

“He’s cute,” Andrea said as soon as they exited the coffee shop. Kalyn felt her cheeks burn. “Well-spoken, too. Well-dressed. Smart, obviously. I can see why you like him.”

“He likes her, too,” Bri offered.

“No, he doesn’t,” Kalyn countered.

“Oh, please,” Bri retorted. “Have you seen the way he looks at you? It’s like you can do no wrong.”

“Bri,” Kalyn groaned. “He’s been hanging out with us every day for the last two weeks, he’s been here a month, and we still know next to nothing about him.”

Bri faced Andrea. “Okay, she has a point. Jay’s pretty secretive and asking anything involving his life before Angel Grove tends to piss him off.”

“Why’s that?” Andrea asked.

“We don’t know,” Kalyn replied, glaring at her best friend in the process. Bri rolled her eyes.

“I have a theory but only Jay can confirm it.”

“Oh?” Andrea prompted.

“Remember the Reefside hockey players who died in the accident that was all over the news?”

“Yeah?”

“I think he knows something about it that no one else does.”

Kalyn scoffed. “Like what?”

“I don’t know. Maybe, he was supposed to ride with them and chose not to so now he feels guilty. Maybe, they were good friends. All I know is that he gets _super_ pissed when I bring it up.”

“Maybe, they weren’t friends and he _doesn’t_ know anything and you bringing it up—.”

“Okay, that’s enough,” Andrea interjected. “Kalyn, if you like him, talk to him about it. Bri—.”

“I know, I know,” Bri sighed. “Mind my own business.”

Andrea chuckled. “I wasn’t exactly going to say that…”

Kalyn smirked and Bri rolled her eyes.

“Hello, loves,” Riley said approaching with a grin and Drew at his side. “Fancy meeting you here.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be at some gaming thing?”

“It’s over. We got second,” Drew offered. “Hi, Andrea.”

“Hey, Drew.”

“We’re looking for Jay. He’s ignoring the group text, individual texts, and screening my calls,” Riley announced. “The wanker’s got plenty of voice messages from me.”

“He’s holed up at Jude’s, reading,” Bri said. “Right down the street if you want to bother him.”

“I do, actually. He’s at Jude’s?”

“In the plushy chair to the right of the door,” she confirmed.

“Excellent. See you around, ladies.”

They watched as Drew awkwardly took off after Riley.

“Back to Jay,” Andrea said, causing Bri to grin and Kalyn to groan.

* * *

Jay stared blankly at Cameron. Why he’d agreed to come to the park with the guys to throw around a football instead of sticking with his plan to spend the day reading at the coffee shop was beyond him.

“So, are you gonna ask my sister to the dance or not?” Cameron asked, throwing the football to him.

“I’m not going,” Jay replied, feeling like a broken record. “Why is that so difficult for everyone to accept?” He chucked the football at Riley.

“Don’t take your frustration out on me! I’m not going either!”

“She likes you, you know,” Cam said, catching the football. This time, he tossed it to Drew. “You seem to like her, too.”

Jay groaned. “It’s not that I don’t like her. She’s my friend. I’m just not looking to date anyone right now.”

“Whatever you say,” Cam said.

Jay chucked the ball back to Cameron. “I’m going to read.” With that, he began to stalk to the pavilion a few feet away.

“Dude, don’t be like that!” Cam retorted.

Jay whipped around in time to hear Riley say, “what the hell?” and was suddenly being punched hard in the chest by what looked like a clay monster.

Holy shit.

He’d been punched to the ground by _a clay monster_.

Before he had a chance to react, he found himself surrounded by darkness.

Jay’s heart thudded in his sore chest. He groaned and pushed himself off the ground.

“Everybody okay?” Cam’s voice said, echoing.

“What the hell just happened?” Jay asked.

“We were attacked by—,” Drew began.

“Monsters. Yeah. Just checking.”

A door slid open, causing Jay’s stomach to launch to his throat. The girls entered the dark room.

“Oh my god!” Bri exclaimed.

“You guys okay?” Jay asked, eyeing Kalyn in particular.

“We’re fine. We were in my room and then… we weren’t.”

“Where are we?” Bri asked.

“Better question: how’d we get here?” Riley retorted.

“Unless they redecorated the Youth Center, I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore,” Jay replied, pulling his phone out of his pocket. He flicked on the flashlight app and looked around. The others followed suit.

“This is… _incredible_!” Drew exclaimed in a state of awe as he approached one of the consoles in the room.

“What is it?” Cameron asked.

“Years ahead of anything we have,” Drew replied. He reached toward the console but Jay grabbed him by the wrist.

“Don’t. Touch. Anything.” He glanced around again. “The last thing we need is some flying monkeys telling the wicked witch we’re here.”

“Jay, has anyone ever told you that you’re odd?” Bri asked.

“I’ve heard that on occasion,” he retorted.

“How do we get _back_?” Kalyn asked, pointing out the obvious.

“Good question,” Jay replied. “Anyone see a pair of ruby slippers?” The next thing he knew, flashlights from his friends’ phones were blinding him. “Jesus!” He winced, covering his face with his free hand.

Something on the other side of the door caught their attention and everyone shut off their flashlights and slid behind consoles.

“You can come out, Rangers,” a voice said.

Jay exchanged a look with Riley who was hiding behind the same console.

No one made a sound.

“I know you’re in here.”

Drew was the first to rise from his crouched position. The others followed his lead.

“Damn it!” Jay whispered following this friends.

“Aye-yi-yi! It’s so good to finally meet you!”

“Holy crap!” Drew exclaimed with a child-like wonder on his face. “A fully sentient automaton!”

“English for those of us who don’t know what hell you’re talking about,” Jay said with a frown.

“A fully sentient robot,” Drew elaborated.

“Because that ends so well in every movie _ever_!”

“I’m not going to harm you,” the robot said as Drew reached out to touch it.

Jay slapped his hand away with a firm frown. “What did I say about touching?”

Awkwardly, Drew shoved his hands in his pockets.

“Please, come with me,” the robot beckoned, motioning with one arm for them to follow it.

“I don’t think so,” Jay said, causing him to receive looks from his friends.

“I will not harm you. Please, come with me.” It turned around and proceeded toward the door, stopping when it realized that, again, no one had moved. Drew looked back at the group and shrugged before taking a step. Once again, he was stopped by Jay.

“Are you insane or just plain stupid?” Jay growled.

“What if it can get us home?” Drew retorted.

“Didn’t your parents teach you about stranger danger? What if it _brought us here_?”

“I did bring you here,” the robot replied matter-of-factly.

“Why should we go with you?” Cameron asked.

“There is someone you need to meet.”

The robot proceeded out the door with Drew in tow.

“If we make it out of this alive,” Jay growled, “I’m gonna kill him.”

“I’ll help,” Riley added.

The two of them followed behind the rest of their friends.

“This place is amazing!” Drew exclaimed as they entered a well-lit chamber. Inside of it were various consoles that seemed to be made of crystal. If he hadn’t been so freaked out by the situation at large, Jay would’ve agreed.

Instead, he kept to the back of the group and lit a cigarette. No one seemed to notice.

“Thank you, Drew,” the robot said.

Drew gaped and stammered his way through, “you know my name?”

“We know more than that,” a woman’s voice said. The group collectively looked to the stairs as a woman descended them. She had long, dark hair and seemed to glide toward them rather than walk. She was gorgeous in an ageless sort of way.

“What do you mean you know more than that?” Cameron demanded.

“For weeks, we have searched for a new team, the right team,” the woman replied.

“The bloody hell are you babbling about?” Riley demanded, impatiently.

“In time, Riley,” she replied patiently.

“Fuckin’ hell, you know my name, too,” he groaned. “What else do you know? Our birthdays? Social security numbers? Who are you, CIA? FBI?”

  
Jay couldn’t help but to grin. His friends, however, only frowned.

Riley crossed his arms defiantly and added, “You already know too much about us. Who are you?”

“You may call me Vala,” the woman replied.

“I’m Alpha 5!” The robot added enthusiastically.

“What do you want with us?” Bri asked and Jay suddenly found himself ready to strike in defense of the girls. They probably would’ve been offended by it, if they could read his mind. But, all he knew was he had a compulsive urge to protect them.

“Twenty-seven years ago, a being known as Zordon recruited a team of teenagers not so different from yourselves. They became the Power Rangers—an elite team whose purpose was to protect this planet evil.”

“Evil?” Bri retorted incredulously.

“Yes, Brianna. Rita Repulsa, an intergalactic sorceress had returned with the sole purpose of ruling the universe,” Vala explained.

“That’s all well and good, love, but what does that have to do with us?” Riley demanded.

“Riley,” Kalyn admonished.

“No! We literally have a robot and… whoever _she_ is giving us a history lesson about magic and space witches!” He scoffed and added, “I don’t particularly see that being on Carmichael’s exam on Thursday. Do you?” Kalyn didn’t respond. “I didn’t think so. Now, I don’t know about you, but I’d like to get to the bloody point!”

Jay couldn’t help but to be impressed by Riley’s attitude. In truth, he shared it despite keeping his mouth shut.

He stamped out his cigarette as Vala continued.

“The time has come for a new team of Rangers. Rita Repulsa has returned. As far as we can tell, she’s come along with her husband, Lord Zedd.”

“You want us to be new the Rangers,” Kalyn clarified. Suddenly, Jay felt his blood starting to boil.

“That is correct,” Vala replied. “You have been chosen to combat Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd.”

Suddenly, an ornate box materialized onto one of the consoles. Vala silently glided over and opened it before lifting it from the console and holding it reverently in her hands.

From where he stood, Jay could see five gold coins with some kind of emblem on them. Although, he couldn’t quite tell what the emblems were from his spot in the back of the room.

“These are your power coins,” Vala explained. “They draw on the strength of the ancient creatures represented on them.”

Jay watched as his friends crowded around the box, each taking a coin from it. Riley looked at the coin in his hand and leaned over the see the one in Cameron’s before looking up at Vala.

“Are these pictures of dinosaurs?” He asked incredulously.

“Indeed, Riley. From the essence of their brute strength, you will gain the power you need to—.”

“_Dinosaurs_? You are aware that they’re extinct, no?”

Jay nearly choked when Bri whacked Riley in the arm hard enough to elicit a yelp from him.

“Your power coins will grant you the power you need to morph and to command your zords.”

“Again, though, _dinosaurs_?” Riley said, throwing a hand up at Bri to stop any physical reaction from her.

“What are zords?” Drew asked.

“They will be your fighting machines. Observe the viewing globe,” she said, gesturing to a large crystal ball standing on a crystal pedestal. On it, images of robotic dinosaurs flashed.

“Riley,” she began when the images disappeared. “Clever and cunning. As the black ranger, you will command the mighty mastodon.”

Riley didn’t look too sure of it, but he didn’t protest.

“Drew. With your patience and wisdom, you will command the triceratops as the blue ranger.”

Vala moved onto Bri.

“Brianna, agile and fierce, as the yellow ranger, you will command the saber-tooth tiger zord.”

Stopping in front of Cameron, she continued. “Cameron, red ranger. Bold and strong, you will command the tyrannosaurus zord.”

Finally, she reached the end of the line and a small smile took up residence on her face. It made Jay feel sick to his stomach.

“Kalyn, graceful and swift. Yours is the pterodactyl. Command it well, pink ranger.”

“What are these?” Drew asked, removing what looked like some kind of bracelet from a larger ornate box.

“Those will be your power morphers.”

Cameron faced Riley. “Even you have to admit that this is pretty dope,” he said as they lifted their morphers from the box.

“By accepting this call,” Vala continued, “you commit to three things. First, you must never use your power for personal gain.” The group nodded collectively. “Second, never escalate a fight unless you are forced to do so.” Again, the group nodded. “Finally, and most importantly, you must _never_ reveal your identities.”

“Sounds fair,” Cameron said for the group.

Jay lit another cigarette in his corner of the room, thankful to be excluded from the lunacy his friends so willingly joined. His head snapped up when he heard Kalyn ask, “What about Jay?”

“Shit,” he whispered to himself and took another drag before he said something that got him killed.

“Jay,” Vala said with a fondness in her voice that made him uncomfortable. A long, thin ornate box materialized and she lifted it, keeping it closed this time, before walking toward him. His heart thudded in his chest as she stopped in front of him and opened the box. Inside was a coin, a bracelet, and a sword with what looked like the head of a white tiger on the end of the hilt. “You will lead the Power Rangers with —.”

“I’m gonna stop you right there,” he interrupted. Shutting the box, he said, “I’m not a hero.”


	6. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Part 6

Jay avoided the stupefied gazes of his friends.

“Got some ruby slippers or is there a yellow brick road for me to follow?” He asked, exhaling a puff of smoke.

“There is no need to doubt yourself, Jay,” Vala said encouragingly.

“Doubt myself?” He scoffed. “Listen, lady, you’ve got the wrong guy. I’m not a hero. I’m barely even a functioning member of society.”

“Observe the viewing globe,” she said.

“I’m not looking into your crystal ball.” Vala only stared expectantly in response. Jay rolled his eyes and looked toward the viewing globe. It was blank. “Nothing’s happening, Glenda.”

“Being a Power Ranger is in your blood. It runs deeply in your family.”

As if on cue, a person in white and a person in pink uniforms appeared, fighting what looked like the monsters from the park. Jay swallowed hard. Eventually, they defeated the monsters and removed their helmets. Much younger versions of his parents were the people the people behind the masks.

“Those were the things from the park,” Cameron said in shock.

“Putty patrollers. No doubt created by Rita. You must be on your guard, Rangers.”

She faced Jay. “Jay—.”

“This proves _nothing_,” he snarled. “I am not them. Leave me out of this.”

A disappointed look took up residence on her face.

“Very well.” She faced the robot. “Alpha.”

The next thing he knew, Jay was stalking through the park and it was after dark.

“Jay!” A voice said from behind him. He ignored it. “Jay! Come on, man, would just—.”

Jay whipped around and found himself face-to-face with Cameron.

“You have some psychopath giving you gold coins and some fancy jewelry and telling you’re gonna save the world and you actually think you’re gonna it?” He demanded. “You’re insane!”

“Dude,” He replied, taking a step forward. Jay threw his hands up and took a step back. Cam froze in place.

“Stay the hell away from me.” He glanced to the rest of the group behind Cameron. “All of you.”

With that, he turned around and walked home, fuming.

When he got home, the windows were dark. He let out a sigh and attempted to sneak in.

“Where were you?” His mother demanded, causing him to jump. “Do you have any idea what time it is? We’ve been worried sick!”

Jay scoffed, noticing that his parents were on the couch watching TV. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“Try us,” his dad said, clearly as upset as his mother but a little more composed.

“Alright,” Jay retorted. “Fine. I was teleported to the Emerald City by a neurotic alien robot where Glenda, the good witch, told me that I’m new leader of the Lollipop Guild!”

His parents exchanged what Jay could only interpret as concerned looks. They were worried, he realized.

“Stupefied silence wasn’t exactly what I was expecting.”

“Tell us everything,” his dad said.

“Wait—you _believe_ me?” He let a scoff. “_I_ don’t even believe me and I lived it!”

“Jay,” his mother began, but he didn’t hear her.

“Holy shit,” he whispered. He met their gazes. “It’s true, isn’t it? It’s all real.” His dad sighed, but nodded. “I’m going to bed.” He walked toward the stairs, tossing a “Maybe, I’ll wake up and this will all have been a nightmare,” over his shoulder.

* * *

Tommy watched as Jay ascended the stairs. When he heard his son’s bedroom door closed, he met Kat’s gaze.

“Tommy…”

“I know,” he replied and ran a hand over his mouth.

The last thing he’d ever expected, the last thing he’d wanted was for any of his kids to fight the battles that the two of them had fought. What possible reason could there be for another team of Power Rangers? Why now?

“We need to talk to him,” Kat said, worry present in her voice.

“I’ll do it,” he replied softly. “Go ahead and go to bed. I’ll be there in a little while.” She shot him an incredulous look, but he kissed her on the forehead and followed their oldest child.

When he got to Jay’s room, he braced himself before knocking on the door. Tommy wasn’t the least bit surprised when his son didn’t answer.

He opened the door and peeked in. Jay’s window was open but he was nowhere to be found.

“Fuck!” He heard Jay’s voice say and followed to the window, arriving in time to hear an exasperated, “You gotta be fucking kidding me!”

“Language,” Tommy blurted, causing Jay to jump.

“Jesus, Dad!” He exhaled a shaky breath. “After what happened earlier, a little warning would’ve been nice.”

“Sorry. Mind if I join you?”

“I don’t want to hear a word about the cigarettes,” Jay warned. “After what I just experienced, you’re lucky it’s only nicotine.”

For as much as he hated it, Tommy had to agree with that. It wasn’t like they didn’t know their son had taken up smoking. In fact, they’d tried to force him to quit on several occasions. Tommy had even gone so far as to buy nicotine patches for Jay. Kat would kill him if she knew that, he mused. But, it was better than Jay smoking. However, Jay always seemed to find a way to get a new pack of cigarettes when he needed them.

Truth be told, Tommy didn’t _want_ to know how he continued to get them. While he didn’t approve, he’d take Jay smoking cigarettes over getting high any day of the week. Not that he would ever say that out loud.

Jay was a far cry from what Tommy had been like as a teenager. Especially as a Power Ranger.

God…

His son was a Power Ranger.

Tommy didn’t know whether to be angry or to be proud. Jay was never supposed to have to do this. But, Tommy understood how it worked; he’d experienced it firsthand. It wasn’t so much a choice as it was a calling.

“So,” he began awkwardly, sitting on the other side of Jay so that the smoke didn’t blow on him in the slight breeze. “You’re a Power Ranger.”

“No,” Jay replied. “I’m not, actually.” He brought the cigarette to his lips and took a drag.

“You’re not,” Tommy repeated skeptically.

“Nope,” Jay replied exhaling the smoke. “I said no.”

“Why?”

Jay sighed. “I’m not a hero, Dad. More to the point, I don’t want to be.” Jay took another drag and exhaled it before adding, “They were shocked.”

“Who?”

“Vala and the robot.” He snorted in derision. “My friends, too. All of them jumped at the chance. Being offered fancy coins and bracelets and told they’ll save the world… they just ate it up.”

“But, not you?”

“No, not me.” He exhaled a sigh.

“Did your choice have something to do with Jamie?” Tommy asked tentatively.

“Heroes don’t kill their friends.”

“You didn’t kill Jamie, Jay. You have to know that by now.”

“I don’t believe that, Dad,” his son replied helplessly. “He didn’t want to go to that party. I talked him into it—I drove the damn car! If I had just _listened_…” he sniffed and Tommy noticed the tear roll down his cheek. “It’s _my_ fault. It always will be. I can’t change what happened that day. I can’t stop seeing it when I close my eyes.”

“Oh, son,” Tommy sighed and put an arm around Jay’s shoulders. “The pain won’t last forever. I promise.”

Jay pulled away and looked him hard in the eyes. “I want it to,” he confessed with a deadly seriousness that threw Tommy. “It’s the only way that I know I’m still alive anymore.”

“What do you mean?”

Jay sighed and looked away.

“Jay.”

“Part of me died with Jamie,” he sighed as though Tommy hadn’t already suspected that to some extent. “I don’t feel anything anymore. Anger. Joy. Sadness. Fear. It’s like I’m dead inside. The only time I come close to feeling anything is when I close my eyes and I see his body under that sheet.” He paused before continuing. “Even then, what I felt in that moment… it’s only a memory.” He exhaled before continuing. “I don’t care about anything anymore and I can’t explain it. I want to care, but I just don’t.” He chuffed a humorless laugh. “I remember waking up and seeing you and Mom. I remember thinking ‘why are they looking at me like that?’ and wondering where I was and why I felt different. It was like that part of my brain just stopped working and it never reset.”

“Why haven’t you said anything about this before?”

“What good would it have done?” He met Tommy’s gaze again. “If I was to take that sword, become the white ranger, who’s to say I wouldn’t lose my shit completely? They’re supposed to be saving lives, not escalating fights. I know myself. I would do whatever it took and I wouldn’t think twice about it.” He exhaled a heavy breath and added a shaky, “I’m broken, Dad, and I don’t know if I can ever be fixed.”

“You turned down being a Power Ranger because you were scared?”

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to move on from Jamie. Every monster they’re going to fight, I would see myself. If took that sword, I could get them killed, too. I can’t risk that. Not again.”

They sat in silence for several long minutes before Jay announced that he was going to bed and Tommy left him alone with his thoughts.

When he got to his room, Kat was lying in bed, her back to the open door. He didn’t have to guess whether or not she was awake as he climbed into bed. Her breathing gave it away.

“He said no,” Tommy said quietly.

“What?” She asked, rolling over to face him.

“Jay. He said no. He’s not a Power Ranger.”

Kat breathed a sigh of relief and rested her head on his chest. Tommy wrapped his arms tightly around her and she grabbed a fistful of his shirt, sobbing in relief.

* * *

“I don’t know why you think things will change now,” Riley said, leaning against the lockers as they waited for Jay. “He’s been avoiding us for a week.”

“You heard Vala,” Drew replied. “We need him.”

“No, she said we need a sixth,” Riley countered. “She never said that it _had_ to be Jay Oliver.”

“Riley’s got a point,” Cameron added. “For whatever reason, she _prefers_ Jay, but she never actually said the sixth person had to be him.”

“Well, I think we owe it to ourselves to try again,” Drew retorted. “Where are the girls?”

“Right here,” Bri said as she and Kalyn joined them. “We stopped at Jude’s to see if he was there.” She sipped her coffee as though emphasizing her point.

“And?” Cam prompted.

Bri shrugged. “He wasn’t.”

As if on cue, Jay rounded the corner but stopped abruptly when he noticed that they were waiting for him. He rolled his eyes and retreated back down the hall.

“Yeah, I don’t think he’s gonna play,” Riley said.

“Shut up, Riley,” Bri said. “Let’s go talk to him.”

The group attempted to follow Jay, but he was long gone.

“We’ll try The Pit,” Cameron said, “You guys try the library.”

“Alright,” Kalyn sighed, heading to the library with Bri while the boys headed outside.

When they got to The Pit, the boys were surprised to find the area vacant.

“I thought, for sure, he’d be here,” Drew sighed.

“We all did, mate,” Riley replied with a sigh of his own. “Maybe, the girls will have better luck.”

“I’ll text Kalyn,” Cam sighed, pulling out his phone.

“Uh… guys?” Drew said. Cam looked up and Riley turned around to find four putty patrollers headed their way. “Do you think this would be an appropriate time to, what did she call it? Morph?”

“I’d say it’s the perfect time,” Cam said, sliding his phone back into his pocket as the clay, amorphous figures moved toward them.

* * *

Jay let out a sigh as he made his way toward The Pit, convinced that he’d finally ditched the group that was stalking him. He needed a cigarette. Badly.

As he passed it, he glanced into his father’s classroom. His dad sat behind his desk, fully focused on—what looked like—grading the papers in front of him. Jay couldn’t help but smirk.

When he got outside, his jaw dropped with a figurative thud. He saw his friends, fully morphed into their blue, red, and black suits—which, even he had to admit, looked pretty sick—fighting off the same grey monsters that had attacked them in the park.

“Take that, you bastard!” Riley said, punching one of them to the ground.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jay saw three more headed their way.

Without thinking, he dropped his backpack and lunged for the group of monsters sneaking up on Riley and Drew. He tackled one in one, swift motion, and proceeded to punch it until it stopped moving. After a moment, it disintegrated.

“What the—?” He asked to whisper before he was tackled by another one.

Cameron must’ve seen it because within in a second he was on the monster.

Jay wasn’t sure how much time had passed but, eventually, he and his morphed friends had disintegrated all of them.

“Nice of you to join us,” Riley sniped from behind his helmet.

Jay scoffed. “Who interrupted _my_ smoke break?” He bit back.

“What happened?” Kalyn demanded. The boys whipped around in time to see the girls, unmorphed, coming to a stop beside them.

“Monsters,” Jay explained.

“We got attacked by putty patrollers,” Drew elaborated.

“At school?” Bri retorted in exasperation.

“Something tells me that monsters don’t care whether it’s during school hours or not,” Jay retorted.

“Does this mean that you’re—?” Kalyn began.

“No,” Jay said. He shook his head violently. “_Hell_ no.” He walked over to where his backpack was lying on the ground. “I just needed a cigarette.”

“The offer’s still on the table, Jay,” Drew said in what Jay could only interpret as a careful tone.

“Well, take it off the table because I already told you that I’m out.” He lit a cigarette and preemptively added, “And, I don’t want to hear a word about it. Okay? We’re not friends. We’re not teammates. We’re classmates, at best.”

“Why?” Drew asked quietly, removing the coin from his morpher. He was suddenly back to looking like a student. Riley and Cam followed suit. “Why can’t we still be friends?”

“Are you kidding me?” Jay retorted. The look on Drew’s face was enough to know that he was serious. Jay scoffed. “You guys want to play heroes, fine. Good for you. I don’t. Quite frankly, if anyone finds out about you, they come after your friends, your _families_, _their_ families. I don’t want some weird ass monster coming at me, my brother and sister… I just want to be left alone.”

He took one last drag and tossed his cigarette on the pavement for emphasis before walking back inside the building.

* * *

Cameron watched as Jay left them.

“He’s serious,” Riley said in a low tone. “I hate to say it, mate, but I don’t think he’s going to be our sixth.”

“There’s something else,” Cam replied. “He’s hiding something.”

“Does it really matter?” Riley challenged. “He said no.”

“He needs a reason to fight,” a voice said from behind them, causing all of them to jump. Vala stood behind them.

“Fuckin’ hell!” Riley exclaimed, placing a hand on his chest. “Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

“Do not discount his contribution,” she said in that annoying stoic voice she tended to use with them. “Lord Zedd has returned. You will need him.”

“Returned?” Cam challenged.

“Yes, Cameron.”

He studied the woman, feeling every bit as skeptical as what he imagined Jay felt like.

“For now, we shall teleport to the Command Center.”

“We have class,” Drew protested. “We can’t just ditch. There are laws.”

Vala seemed to mull it over.

“School’s almost over,” Bri said. “Can we go then?”

Vala sighed a frustrated sigh and said, “May the power protect you,” before vanishing in a flash of light.

“I will _never_ get used to that,” Riley announced.

Cam silently agreed.

* * *

Jay sighed as he entered his room and shut the door behind him. He had plenty of homework to do, but the piano in the corner seemed to call his name.

He hadn’t played in awhile. Not since the first time the Power Rangers were on the nightly news. That was a week ago.

Jay didn’t miss the worried glances that his parents had shot his way during the news report announcing the return of the group. Absent among them was the sixth ranger, the white ranger.

Him.

He’d given his parents a look that challenged their silent questions. It was look that reiterated that he had refused to join the crusade. They seemed to accept what he was trying to convey to them.

The last thing he need was for them to hear about was the attack at the school today. Although, Jay knew that would be incredibly lucky. It took place right outside his father’s classroom. For as much as he hated to admit it, his father wasn’t _that_ oblivious.

Jay flopped down in his desk chair with a sigh. He’d barely had time to turn on the computer when he heard someone take a step.

“Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world…” Jay spun the chair around and found himself face-to-face with Vala who was holding the thin, ornate box from the Command Center. “What do you want?”

“To talk,” she replied simply.

“You could’ve just called. Or, avoided the B&E by teleporting me.” He shrugged and added, “Then, I guess, you’d be facing kidnapping charges.”

Jay leaned back in his chair expectantly. When she said nothing, he prompted, “Why are you here?”

“I’ve come to implore you to reconsider your position as the white ranger.”

“Why would I do that?”

“You are a unique person, Jay Oliver. You have strength and courage and _honor_ that you cannot comprehend. You are the product of—.”

“I’ve heard this part. It’s in my DNA. It’s my _destiny_. Here’s the thing: I don’t believe in destiny or fate or whatever you want to call it. I believe in the ability to make our choices and live or die by them.” His eyes narrowed. “I’ve made my choice.”

“You avert your call by way of pain.”

She’d said it simply but the words cut through him like a knife. What did she know of his pain?

“They need you.”

“No, they need a sixth. Find someone else.”

“It’s not that simple,” she sighed. “They need a leader. That leader must be particular. I have searched for longer than you know before forming this team. I’ve been searching for you.” Jay’s jaw clenched but if she noticed, she didn’t show it. “Lord Zedd, Rita Repulsa… they are a far worse evil than even you can comprehend. Without the right leader, they _will_ win.”

“I don’t do well with manipulation,” he snarled.

“I’m not manipulating you, Jay. I’m trying to get you to understand.”

“Oh, I understand. Now, get out.”

“Jay—.”

“Now,” he said, warning present in his voice.

Vala sighed in defeat. Before she left, she set the ornate box on his bed. “If you change your mind…”

With that, she teleported away.

Jay heaved a sigh and stared at the box on his bed.


	7. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Part 7

The breeze was nice, Jay noted as he sat quietly on the patch of roof outside his window. He’d gone outside to smoke away the conversation with Vala a couple of hours ago. He couldn’t get it out of his mind.

It didn’t help that there was a box of the tools he needed tucked away, safely, under his bed. Save for the coin, which he was rolling between his fingers as though performing the only magic trick he knew. Jay told himself that he should use it to teleport to the Command Center and give it all back, but part of him couldn’t. So, he sat, staring out over the darkened cul-de-sac, attempting to ascertain why he couldn’t do just that.

He didn’t want it—any of it. Why couldn’t anyone understand that? Even his parents had fished for information. Granted, it was mostly just his dad, but still.

Between being hounded about trying out for the hockey team and his inability to make sense of anything right now, being a Power Ranger was the last thing Jay needed. He knew that. Why couldn’t anyone else comprehend it?

This was for the sake of whatever mental health he had left.

His parents had insisted that coming to Angel Grove was a fresh start, a chance to start over and be someone else. Silently, he supposed a becoming a Power Ranger fit that definition.

As quickly as it had entered, Jay shoved the thought from his mind. With a sigh, he lit a cigarette.

He needed to _do_ something, but he didn’t know what. He could run. He could find someone to fight. Maybe, he’d see if his dad would hang up the punching bag in the garage. He’d done it for him back in Reefside, not that Jay had used it much.

No, he’d usually get high at Jamie’s grave, staring at the rock with his friend’s name on it.

He couldn’t do that anymore.

His phone pinged, tearing him from his reverie.

_You okay?_

It was from Kalyn. He glanced up to see her sitting on her front porch. With a sigh, he texted back:

_I’ll survive._

He’d barely had a chance to put the phone down before it pinged again. What was it with girls and their ridiculous texting speeds?

_Want to talk?_

No, not really. But, he texted back to give him a few minutes.

Jay shoved his hands in his pockets awkwardly as he approached the porch of Kalyn’s house. She met him with a soft, sincere look in her eyes.

“Can’t sleep?” She asked.

He sighed and sat beside her.

“I don’t really sleep anymore.”

“Anymore?”

He shook his head and swallowed before saying, “If I tell you something, will you keep it a secret?”

“Of course.”

“There’s a very specific reason why I keep saying no. Why we moved here. Why I don’t drive.” She met his gaze and Jay was surprised to find absolutely no judgement in her eyes. She was letting him take his time. That was a first, he noted silently. “The hockey players in Reefside…”

He paused for several long seconds. It must have been for too long because she said, “You knew them.”

Jay chuffed out a humorless laugh and said, “Yeah, I knew them.”

“You were close,” she deduced. “The kids who died. You were close to them.”

He exhaled a heavy, shaky breath. It was now or never.

“I was one of them.” He hesitated before meeting her gaze. Instead of finding fear, shock, or all the usual things he saw in the eyes of people who knew his story, he saw something he didn’t recognize. “I was driving.”

Kalyn exhaled and Jay thought for sure that she was going to send him on his way.

But, she didn’t.

Instead, she looked at him with the most heartbreakingly sweet look he’d ever seen from someone, a look that would’ve knocked him down if he’d been standing, and she said, “I won’t ask if you’re okay because I think it’s obvious that you’re not. But… what happened, if you don’t mind my asking.”

If anyone else had said it, he probably would’ve been livid. He hated talking about it. Even with the shrinks he’d been forced to see, even with the new one that he actually liked.

“There was party. We’d just made state and one of the guys on the team was throwing a party at his family’s lake house. Jamie didn’t want to go, but I’m talked him into it. We took his car, but I drove—he had never been there and I had. Several times. Anyway, it was raining. All I remember is the sound of the wheels screeching and the Jeep falling. I remember Jamie’s screams. The next thing I know, I’m in an ambulance and they’re wheeling him away on a stretcher.” He heaved a shaky breath and was only vaguely aware that Kalyn’s hand was on his forearm. “They told me that we’d hit a deer that jumped out and that the car spun. They said I called 911 and that Jamie was dead on impact.”

“I’m so sorry, Jay,” she said sweetly, meaning it. “I can’t even imagine.”

“No one can,” he replied truthfully.

“You lived, though. You survived.”

“That’s just it… I didn’t.” She studied him, but said nothing. “I woke up and I felt different. It was like part of me died in that accident. I don’t just mean that Jamie, the guy who was basically my brother since we were in diapers. I mean something inside of me. I can’t explain it.”

He reached in his pocket for a cigarette. “Anyway,” he continued, pausing only long enough to light up. “They call it PTSD. Survivor’s guilt. It doesn’t feel like that, though. I know Jamie wouldn’t want me to be like this. I can’t explain it.”

“Everyone grieves differently, Jay. There’s nothing wrong with your way.”

“Except that I have everyone asking me when I’m going to ask you out and telling me that I should be a Power Ranger,” he blurted. He felt the heat rush to his neck and cheeks when he realized what he’d said. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”

“It’s okay,” she replied.

They were silent for the remainder of Jay’s cigarette before Kalyn broke the silence.

“You think you’re broken, Jay, but I don’t believe that.”

“You don’t?” He retorted dubiously.

“No, I don’t. It’s not just the shrinky nature that seems to run in my family, either,” she said with a grin. “I think you’re grieving for your friend and the life you had. I’m not saying that you _should_ be a Power Ranger, only you can make that decision, but I do think you’d be remiss not to try.”

“Yeah, why’s that?”

Kalyn shrugged. “Maybe, protecting the world from Rita and Zedd is exactly what you need to find that balance you’re looking for. It won’t bring back your friend, but neither will whatever it is you do every day.”

Touché.

“I just think that, maybe, you should try it. See how it makes you feel,” she said quietly. “I’m not telling you to do it. That’s a decision you have to make. I just… I don’t know.”

Jay nodded absently.

“I went from being the most popular guy in school to being the guy who killed his friend. The only good thing about being here is that no one gives a crap about me. You know? They don’t know my story—except for you and my therapist.”

“I won’t say anything,” she promised.

“You won’t?” Jay wasn’t quite sure if he believed her or not.

Kalyn chuckled. “Jay, I have two psychiatrists and a psychologist in my family. I understand keeping secrets.”

He laughed at that. It felt good to laugh. Jay couldn’t remember the last time he’d done it. Probably with Jamie.

“That’s fair,” he said.

His phone pinged and he looked at it, heaving a sigh when he read the message.

“My dad,” he explained. “I should go.”

With that, he rose from his spot on the porch and began to walk away.

“Hey, Kalyn?” He looked back in time to see her turn around with a questioning look on her face. “That’s the reason I didn’t ask you to the dance tonight. I’m just not ready for… that.” She nodded with a look that seemed to ask if he’d ever be ready. It was an answer that he honestly couldn’t give. “Anyway, thanks for listening. And, for keeping my secret.”

She smiled that sweet smile that made his knees weak and said, “Any time,” before disappearing into her house, leaving him standing awkwardly on the sidewalk as the porch light switched off.

* * *

“Where have you been?” Tommy inquired casually as Jay entered the house. “I didn’t know you left.”

“I was across the street. Talking to Kalyn.”

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah,” Jay sighed. “Yeah, everything’s fine.”

Tommy studied his son for a moment, not sure whether he should inquire further or not. Jay was starting to talk to him again and he didn’t want to ruin that or say something that caused the teenager to completely shut down again.

“I’m gonna go to bed,” Jay said.

“Night,” Tommy said. He watched as Jay began to ascend the stairs and was taken back when he stopped walking.

“Hey, Dad?”

“Yeah?”

“Hockey,” Jay said and Tommy had to force himself to remain stoic. “It’s not completely off the table.”

“Good to know,” he replied, fighting a grin until Jay was up the stairs and out of sight.

Progress. Jay was making progress. Finally.

Tommy had half a mind to send Kalyn O’Connor a thank you note.

It was the first time, he realized, that it felt like Jay might actually be okay. He would take it.

* * *

Kalyn had absolutely no idea what Mr. Carmichael was droning on about. In truth, she’d stopped listening awhile ago; thinking about her conversation with Jay the night before.

She wasn’t sure if he would join them or not. Probably not. Now that she knew the whole story, she couldn’t really blame him. It made him make a lot more sense, though, that was for sure.

She couldn’t really blame him for not wanting to hang out with the group, either. It seemed like every time one of them cornered him, it was to try to change his mind. Especially, Drew and Bri. If there was one thing she’d learned last night, it was that Jay had to do things on his own terms.

That included his decision to be a Power Ranger or not.

“Ms. O’Connor,” Carmichael said, getting her attention. “Are we boring you?”

A few of her classmates snickered.

“No, I’m sorry.”

“Then, maybe, you can tell us—.”

He was cut off by the bell, much to her relief. Like her classmates, Kalyn gathered her things.

“What was that about?” Bri asked, meeting up with her just outside the classroom.

“What?” She asked.

“You don’t just zone out. What happened?”

Kalyn winced and looked around. Jay was at his locker and the boys were walking down the hall.

“I’ll tell you in P.E.,” she said.

Bri’s eyes lit up. “You know something that I don’t already know!” She said excitedly.

Kalyn knew a lot of things that her best friend didn’t know, but she didn’t say that.

“Come on!” Bri said, hooking her arm with Kalyn’s and nearly dragging her down the hall and toward the locker rooms.

  
“So, are you going to tell me or leave me hanging?” Bri pressed as they jogged around the curve of the track.

“I talked to Jay last night,” Kalyn confessed.

“I figured that much,” Bri retorted. “Tell me _everything_.”

“I can’t tell you everything. Some of it is his story to tell.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. What about the rest of it?”

“He told me why he didn’t ask me to the dance.”

Bri nearly tripped.

“What did he say?” She asked excitedly.

“That he’s not ready for anything like that.”

“Anything like what?” Bri groaned.

“Dating, I assume.”

“Okay, but the dance doesn’t count as a date.”

Kalyn rolled her eyes. “You said last week that it counted!”

“Not for a first date!” Her friend replied defensively.

“God, Bri,” Kalyn groaned.

“Well, at least, now we know that he does like you. He basically told you that, right?”

“That’s taking the whole read-between-the-lines thing a little far, don’t you think?”

“No, I do not.”

* * *

Jay slapped the puck into the net, much to the excitement of his team and the dismay of the goalie.

It got him several slaps on the back.

“Bloody hell, mate,” Riley panted. “I heard you were good but I hardly think that’s fair.”

Jay shrugged. “I told you I used to play.”

“You didn’t say that it was professionally!”

“That’s because I’ve never played professional hockey.” Jay flashed a smirk as they walked by one of the coaches. “I did lead my old school to state two years in a row, though.”

Riley frowned. Jay slapped him on the back. “If you’re gonna play right wing, play it right.”

“Pun intended?”

“No.”

God, it felt good to play again, he mused silently.

“You’re not getting past me again, Oliver,” his opponent said.

“Watch me,” Jay sneered.

And, like that, he was sprinting to the other side of the court, leaving a trail of players struggling to catch up as he sunk the puck into the goal again.

“Oliver!” A voice said. He looked up to see one of the coaches leaning against the wall. He motioned Jay to him.

“Yeah?” Jay asked, a pit forming in stomach. He’d seen that look on coaches’ faces before.

“Have you given any more thought to what we talked about?”

Jay sighed. “Not much,” he confessed. “Look, I appreciate the offer. I just—.”

“You’re a damn good player, Oliver. The team could really use you.”

“That may be, Coach. But, I planned to sit this season out.”

“I know the story. I’ve talked to your dad.”

“Yeah, what did he say about it?” Jay retorted.

“He said that it was your choice. I’m trying to convince you to make the right choice.”

“No offense, Coach, but I don’t know what the right choice is for me. Being on a team is lot of pressure. I know. I led two to state. Once as captain.”

“I know,” the coach sighed. “We need you, Oliver. Look, why don’t you just sit on a couple of practices. Maybe, practice with us. If you decide you don’t want to do it, I won’t bother you about it again.”

The coach was desperate, Jay noted. He knew Angel Grove didn’t have a very good team. Football, courtesy of Cameron O’Connor, was all the school had going for its athletics department.

Jay nodded with a sigh. It couldn’t hurt.

“I’ll come by tomorrow. I have a standing appointment after school on Mondays. I’m sure my dad told you I see a therapist.”

“He did. We can work around that.”

Jay fought the urge to point out the coach’s desperation.

  
“What was all that about?” Riley asked when Jay rejoined their team.

“He wants me on the hockey team,” Jay replied simply.

“You gonna do it?”

“Probably not. I agreed to watch a couple of practices just to shut him up, though.”

When Riley didn’t respond, Jay looked at him. He looked like he wanted to say something but didn’t know how. Jay rolled his eyes.

“Spit it out, Riley.”

“Not here.”

“So, it’s about what I think it’s about,” Jay groaned.

“I know you don’t want to, but I think you should.”

“You and everyone else. Including your fearless leader who cornered me in my bedroom.”

“Cam cornered you in your room? That’s a bit extreme, even for him.”

Jay chuffed a laugh. “The _other_ fearless leader.” Riley looked confused. “Vala, Riley. I’m talking about Vala.”

“Right,” he replied. “What’d she say?”

“She begged me to join. I said no. Again. At this point, I should just record myself saying it.”

Riley chuckled at that. Jay only sighed.

“Look, I like you, man. I do. You’re to the point. I like that. I’m down to be your friend, but not if you keep hounding me about this. I can’t take much more of it before react badly.”

“The hell does that mean?”

“I think you know what it means.”

Riley eyed Jay thoughtfully. “Let me ask you this,” he began, “what is your reasoning? I think it’d be a lot easier for everyone accept if we knew why.”

“That’s my business,” Jay said, warning present in his voice.

Riley heaved an agitated sigh, but dropped it.

* * *

“I’m telling you, mate,” Riley said as they sat down at their usual table. “The bloke’s not right.”

“There’s definitely something there,” Cam agreed, taking a bite of his burger.

“You don’t get it,” Riley insisted. “I talked to him today and he actually _let_ me. I finally asked him why and…” He sighed. “I don’t know, mate, but I honestly thought he was going to hit me. He got this look in his eyes that I’ve never seen in anyone. Not even my dad.”

“What do you think it is?” Drew asked.

“Talking about Jay?” Bri inquired, joining the boys.

“Yeah,” Cam sighed. “Where’s Kalyn?”

“Dance. Where she always is on Tuesdays after school.”

Cam rolled his eyes.

“I was just saying that there’s a few screws loose,” Riley explained. He glanced to Drew. “That was a proper American expression, no?”

Drew nodded, his mouth full. Riley was pleased with himself. Adjusting to life in the United States hadn’t been as easy as he thought it would be. Apparently, dual citizenship counted for nothing when one spent most of his life in a foreign country.

“Well, Kalyn knows something, I can promise you that,” she said. “Oh, don’t look at me like that!” She admonished them. “If I knew, do you think I’d keep it quiet from you guys? Please. All I know is that he told her that he’s not ready for dating anyone.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Cam asked, beating Riley to the question.

“Apparently, they had a nice long talk last night. I’m surprised you didn’t know about it seeing as you live in the same house. Right across the street from him.”

“She’s got a point,” Drew added.

“Well, regardless, the guy has issues,” Cam stated simply. “I don’t think he’s gonna play ball—.”

“Hockey,” Riley corrected. “And, how did you know about that?”

Cam stared at him in confusion. “Riley, what are you talking about?”

“The hockey coaches cornered him in gym.”

Cam chuffed a laugh. “No, I meant, he’s not going to join _our_ team.”

“Oh… right.” Riley popped a fry in his mouth. “I think you’re right about that.”

“So, what?” Drew asked. “We’ve been trying for awhile now to talk Vala into picking someone else. She’s determined the sixth has to be Jay.”

“Okay, yeah, even I can admit that’s a little weird,” Bri agreed.

“I asked her about that, actually,” Cam confessed.

“And?” Drew prompted.

“She dodged the question.”

“Maybe, Jay was right,” Riley blurted. “Perhaps, we’re in over our heads.”

“You _love_ being a Power Ranger,” Drew said quietly. “Why are you second-guessing it now?”

“Aside from the fact that I am prehistoric elephant, which I’m mildly offended by, by the way, I don’t know. I can’t explain it.”

“Try,” Bri prompted.

Riley heaved a sigh. “I just think that she has unrealistic expectations. That’s all.”

“Like what?” It was Cam this time. Riley wondered if this was how Jay felt every time they cornered him and tried to convince him to join the team.

“We’re _teenagers_. She expects us to save the world. I can barely carry my team in Paladins. How are we supposed to our job? Plus, let’s face it, the monsters we’ve seen have been those grey bastards that we rarely fight. She said they were going to hit us with more. Sorry, mate, I think she’s delusional.”

“What are you saying, Waltham?” Cam pressed accusingly.

“I’m saying that I’m considering following Oliver’s lead. Turning in my coin.”

“What?” Drew asked, dumbfounded. “Are you serious? Riley, you like this more than any of us.”

“No, I liked the idea of it. But, let’s face it, we’ve not _done_ anything but try to convince Jay to do Vala’s bidding. I didn’t sign on to be a messenger boy.” Riley scoffed. “We’ve spent more time in the Command Center fighting amongst ourselves than anything.”

“Firstly,” Cam began, “it’s called training. Secondly, what if we can only do our jobs if Jay, or another member, joins? Have you thought about that?”

“Like what?” Riley retorted. “Even sparring matches? Look, mate, I like the idea of being a hero as much as all of you do, but we’ve not done any saving and I can’t take the stress of knowing something’s coming and not doing anything about it. With or without another member.”

Riley rose from his seat. “I say we confront Vala. Make her explain herself or we make her find another team.”

“I don’t, exactly, see that working out the way you hope,” Drew said.

“Well, right now, it’s all we’ve bloody got.” He grabbed his backpack and said, “think about it. Text Kalyn and put it to a vote, if you like. That’s where I stand.”

* * *

They watched as Riley walked away.

“He’s got a point, you know,” Bri said, finally breaking the silence. “About Vala.”

Cameron sighed. “Yeah, I know.”

“You think we should talk to her?” Drew asked.

“I think we should put it to a vote,” Cam replied.

“And, if the group decides not, then what?” Bri asked. “We keep playing along?”

“I don’t know,” Cam confessed. “But, Riley’s about right something needing to change. What’s the point of our training if we don’t use it?”

“Maybe, that is the point,” Drew countered, receiving the same skeptical look from his friends. “Well, think about it. All know we for sure is that the bad guys are back. We don’t when or if they’ll even strike at all.”

“What’s the point of coming back _if_ they don’t intend to strike?” Bri retorted. “Think about it, Drew.”

“I want to know where they came back _from_,” Cam added. He rose from his seat. “I’ll talk to Kalyn when she gets home. We’ll make a decision tomorrow.”

With that, he followed Riley’s lead and left his friends to mull it over.


	8. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Part 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The rangers face their first monster. Jay makes a choice.

Jay stared out over the park from his spot under his favorite tree. He’d been trying since he cut out of school to read his book, but he couldn’t focus. That was three hours ago. School would be letting out soon, if it hadn’t already.

Part of him wondered if the Power Rangers would show up at the park or go to the Snack Shack. Maybe, neither. Maybe, they’d go to the Command Center and do whatever it was they’d been doing there since they’d gotten their coins and powers.

Jay absently rolled the white ranger coin over his knuckles. He still hadn’t made a decision. The more he thought about it, the worse his indecision was.

On the one hand, he wasn’t a hero. He didn’t want to be a hero. It was the same thing he’d been telling himself since he’d first found out about this entire thing.

On the other hand, what if Kalyn was right? What if doing this _was_ his redemption? Could he really turn that down?

Jay heaved a sigh. He supposed to could get his dad’s opinion, but that would lead to a conversation that Jay wasn’t sure he was ready to have. God, what he wouldn’t give to talk to Jamie about this.

Jamie would love it, he mused with a sad smile. He’d love the idea of being a superhero. He was the guy who believed in aliens and Big Foot and the Loch Ness Monster. Jay, on the other hand, had always been the skeptic of the two.

Yet, here he was, contemplating an existence that defied the strict rationalism he’d always held dear. Aliens, in at least some form, existed. God, Jamie would’ve loved knowing that.

Part of Jay wondered if Jamie would’ve been chosen had he survived the accident. Or, if there had been no accident at all. Or, were the Power Rangers strictly unique to Angel Grove?

If they were, and Jamie had lived, his family never would’ve moved here in the first place. There wouldn’t have a reason for it.

Maybe, that’s why he was drawn to Riley, despite hating that fact. In some ways, Riley reminded him a lot of Jamie. It was also why he wanted to push the entire group away.

It was too… familiar. Too painful right now.

He didn’t want it to be. They’d expressed a want to hang out with him regardless of his status as a Power Ranger. Maybe, he should follow Dr. Bang’s advice and make friends. She wasn’t wrong when she said that Jamie would want that.

Jamie was the guy who could make friends no matter what the circumstances were. He was an extrovert and didn’t care at all about what people thought of other people. He was a good guy like that.

Jay, for his part, had always been the more cautious of the two. That was partly why he hated himself so much. Jamie had expressed having a bad feeling about the party. If Jamie’s gut said no, why couldn’t he listen?

The party had been busted up by the cops, Jay found out weeks later. He’d even been accused by some of his teammates of being the one to call. He hadn’t been, but Jay suspected they knew that. How could he be when he’d been fighting for his life at the time? Not only that, he was usually the one that brought all the stuff courtesy of his fake I.D.

With a sigh, he put his book in his backpack and stared at the coin in his hand for several long minutes before deciding to go to the Command Center. He needed answers.

When he got there, the robot with a gold flying saucer for a head greeted him enthusiastically. Jay set his bag against the nearest console.

“Answer me this,” he said under no guise or pretense. “Why should I join your cause?”

“Aye-yi-yi-yi-yi,” the neurotic robot said, his robotic hands waving around.

Jay arched an eyebrow. “I’m serious. Telling me that I’m going to save the world but then not giving me the facts… that’s not gonna cut it.” He glanced to the large orb on the crystal pedestal. “Show me.”

“Are you certain?” Vala’s voiced asked from behind him.

“You want me on your team badly enough to break into my house, you’re going to give me answers. Veritable proof that this is worth it,” he said, resolute in his position.

Vala seemed to accept the answer. Holding Jay’s gaze she said, “Show him, Alpha.”

The robot did as instructed.

Jay watched silently as the first team of Power Rangers did their duty. He watched as all kinds of monsters terrorized the city in which he lived. He watched as his parents and their friends, time after time, saved the city anonymously.

Some of the former members he recognized. Like Jason and Kimberly Scott. They’d come to visit throughout his life. Jason was his godfather and one of his dad’s closest friends. He’d known that Kim and his dad had dated in high school but that she dumped him after she moved.

He saw Rita Repulsa and her minions. He saw Lord Zedd and his insanity. He saw giant robots fighting giant monsters and wondered why the hell the citizens of Angel Grove hadn’t left.

Still, despite the history lesson Vala was giving him and the use of visual aids, Jay wasn’t finding whatever it was that he’d come here looking for.

He let out a rueful sigh.

“So, why me?” He asked, finally. “Leave my parents out of it and explain to me why you can’t just pick someone else.”

“You are a special person, Jay Oliver. Much the same as your father when Zordon made him the white ranger.”

“I’m not my father,” he said simply.

“No,” she agreed. “You’re not.” A small, fond smile briefly took up residence on her face. “You’re so much more.”

Jay swallowed. “How so? Why am I the only one who can do this job?”

“You’re not,” she said simply. “But, you’re the _right_ person for it.”

“Why?”

“You have a way about you. You’re brave. You’re resourceful. You’re honorable.”

“I’m not honorable,” he replied quietly. “I killed someone. Did you know that? That’s how I got to Angel Grove. I killed someone. My best friend. It was an accident, but it happened. I have to live with that.”

“And, still you do it.”

Jay could tell by the finality in her voice that she clearly saw something that he didn’t see. Whatever it was, it had her convinced.

“There are plenty of people you could choose. Complimenting me isn’t going to make me change my mind.” He heaved a sigh. “I need facts. Proof. I’m not one to believe anything. I need to see it with my own eyes.”

“And, you believe I’ve shown you trickery?” Vala countered. She exhaled a breath and carefully said, “There is nothing I can tell you or that I can show you that will convince you that your place is fighting alongside them. That is a conclusion you must come to on your own. All I can tell you is that you were chosen to lead this team because you’re the one that will lead it properly. You’ll keep them honest. You’ll guide them. You’ll teach them. You’ll show them how to fight with honor, courage, selflessness.”

“You can trust me when I say that I’m most selfish bastard you’ve ever met.”

She didn’t falter or flinch at his words. Instead, she simply relied, “No, Jason Oliver, you are not.”

It wasn’t the words themselves that seemed to pierce him, but the conviction in her voice. She really believed it and Jay had absolutely no idea why.

He exhaled a deep breath through his nose.

“So, leading the team, what does that look like? What are your expectations?”

“Are you—?”

“No,” he interjected. “I’m on a fact finding mission. Nothing more.”

Vala seemed to accept his answer whether she agreed with it or not.

“You will guide them. You’ll hold them accountable. You’ll teach them—.”

“What can they possibly learn from me?” He retorted with a scoff. “I killed my best friend, remember?”

She smiled a small smile and said, “More than you could possibly know.”

Jay didn’t respond for a moment before grabbing his backpack and saying, “I’ll think about it.” He faces her one last time and added a firm, “But, I’m not promising anything.”

“Very well,” she replied. “Don’t think too long, Jay Oliver. Your friends need you more than you know.” He clenched his jaw but nodded in response. “May the power protect you.”

And, just like that, he was back in the park.

He looked around to see if anyone saw his return. The few people that were there didn’t seem to be paying any mind to the kid materializing in open view of them. He exhaled a breath of relief and made his way back to his tree. He had a lot to consider and, it felt like, no time in which to do it.

With a sigh, Jay began to make his way home. He needed to think, to clear his head.

He’d barely made it to the edge of the park when he saw them. The putty patrollers were terrorizing a group of people. Before he could react, the Power Rangers were on the putty patrollers.

Jay watched as his friends fought them. It seemed like more and more kept coming.

That was when he saw it. A monster. Not like the putty patrollers. This was different. It had the face of a pig but the body of a man—if he had to guess what was underneath all that leather. The way it wielded its axe reminded Jay somewhat of what a medieval executioner might look like… only with a pig’s face and hoofed feet.

Seeing the way his friends were struggling was enough to make him do it.

Jay grabbed the cuff from his bag, put it on and placed the coin inside.

“White Tiger!” He exclaimed.

A surge of energy coursed through him. What he felt was incredible—no wonder they liked it. He felt invincible.

Without another word, he charged toward his friends.

* * *

“Damn it!” Riley exclaimed, barely dodging the axe the pig monster swung at him.

A blur of white rushed past him exclaiming, “Not today, mother fucker!”

When the shock wore off, he realized that it was Jay swinging around a sword and fighting the monster one-on-one. Riley lunged to help but, Jay stopped him.

“Help the others!” Jay ordered. “I’ve got this guy.” He must have hesitated a little too long because Jay shoved him and yelled, “Go!”

Without further protest, Riley went to help his friends.

“Is that…?” Bri asked, after the putty she was fighting disintegrated.

“Bastard came through,” Riley replied before lunging at the putty that was headed Drew’s way.

Jay was still fighting the monster when the rest of the putty patrollers were defeated. The Power Rangers made their way to their leader.

“We got you, man!” Cam said.

“No!” Jay snapped. He looked back to the monster walking toward him smugly. “He’s mine,” he growled.

The rangers exchanged looks that none of them could actually see through their helmets.

They watched, helplessly, as Jay battled the monster.

“Jay!” Bri said when Jay was sent flying several feet. He landed on his back with a loud thud.

“I said no!” He snapped, pushing himself up off the ground. “I need to do this.”

“What do we do?” Drew asked, looking at Cameron.

“We let him fight,” Kalyn said. Her friends looked at her. “This is his battle.”

“What do you know, Kalyn?” Her brother demanded. She ignored him. “Kalyn.”

“It’s Jay’s business.”

They group lost all concept of time as Jay fought tirelessly against the monster. Finally, he defeated it, cutting off its head with the White Tiger sword.

* * *

Vala watched the viewing globe intently. Relief flooding her when Rita’s monster disintegrated. She watched as Jay fell to his knees with a furious cry.

It was a painful cry, one that reached a person’s soul.

In truth, she was beginning to think that he didn’t have it in him. The only way that Rita and Zedd could be defeated this time was to be killed. She needed a team of rangers that could do it.

Vala knew that, without him, they wouldn’t be able to. She knew that he would never let them. He would do it alone, take that mantle on himself to spare them the pain.

That was why she had chosen him, why she refused to call upon anyone else. She needed his pain. She needed his rage.

Jay Oliver was pure.

He’d been refined by the fires of tragedy. He would do whatever it took to protect the world, to save it.


	9. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Part 9

Jay rose from his spot on the ground and walked past the other Power Rangers, clenching the hilt of his sword like it was a lifeline.

No one said anything, only followed him up the hill. By the time they caught up with him, he’d unmorphed. Wordlessly, he grabbed his backpack and walked home, leaving the rest of his team dumbfounded.

When he got there, his family was sitting down to dinner. He clicked the door shut and exhaled a breath.

“Jay!” His mother said, clearly surprised to see him.

“Hey, Mom,” he replied, dropping his bag beside the couch.

“I hope you’re hungry,” his dad said with a grin. “_Someone_ ordered an extra pizza.”

His mother frowned. “They got the order wrong. That’s hardly my fault.”

Jay grinned a little grin and exhaled a grateful breath.

“I’m starving, actually. So…” he gestured the pizza at the table and took a seat. Jay didn’t think he was supposed to catch the look between his parents, but he did.

He knew it had been awhile since he’d eaten a meal with them. Usually, he’d take it to his bedroom and eat in the silent solitude. But, they’d said that this should be a fresh start so, that’s what he wanted.

Finally.

“Jay?” His mother asked.

He suddenly realized that his family was staring at him like he was about to go postal.

“Hm?” He asked.

“You okay?” His dad asked.

“Yeah,” he replied. “It’s just been…” he swallowed. “It was an… _odd_ day. But, I’m fine. Just hungry.” No one moved and he smirked. “If no one’s going to pass me a plate, I’m just gonna dig in without one.”

His dad’s chuckle broke the silence. Jenna passed a plate to Evan who, in turn, handed it to Jay.

It was the first time that he felt anything since the accident. While that revelation was overwhelming, but it was certainly welcomed.

Dinner passed pleasantly. It left Jay ruminating on what it felt like to be part of a family again as he slowly smoked his cigarette on the front porch.

“Hey,” a voice said, getting his attention. He looked up to see Kalyn walking his way.

“Hi,” he replied.

“I, uh, I won’t stay long. I just… I wanted to make sure that you were okay.”

“I ate dinner with my family tonight,” he confessed. She looked at him quizzically. He chuffed. “I know that doesn’t sound like a lot but… it was.” He took a drag. “I don’t know that we’ve actually eaten together since the accident. I mean, yeah on holidays, but not where I was actually present instead of locked away inside my own head.”

“The monster today…”

“I think it was cathartic. Or, some twisted form of catharsis.” He heaved a sigh. “I don’t know how to explain it. It was like I was fighting this part of myself that I haven’t wanted to face.”

Kalyn smirked. “You mean a pig-like executioner?”

Jay laughed. “Well, not _exactly_ that.” He looked up at her ruefully. “But, a monster.”

“You’re not a monster, Jay. You’re a good guy.”

“You don’t know me, Kalyn,” he replied solemnly. “But, thanks for saying so.”

Kalyn nodded awkwardly. “I, um, I better go. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“I’m fine,” Jay replied softly. “Thank you for stopping by.”

Kalyn nodded before turning to walk away.

“Oh! Um, Vala wants to talk to us tomorrow before school. Just F.Y.I.”

“Kalyn, you know that I’m not… I mean, this was a one-time thing. I’m not going to that meeting. That’s for you and your team.”

“I just thought that…” she began. He shook his head slightly.

“I saw that thing coming after you guys and you barely hold your against the putties, or whatever they’re called.” He exhaled and added, “That’s all it was.”

She nodded and Jay had the sneaking suspicion that she only did so to avoid arguing with him about it. Whatever this was, he would take it.

Jay lit another cigarette and watched as she made it safely into her house.

* * *

“Jay!” A voice beckoned and Jay heaved a sigh. He’d successfully managed to avoid any socializing with the Power Rangers, save his conversation with Kalyn the night before, since the battle at the park.

He had no idea why he thought coming to the Snack Shack was a good idea. Aside from the chili cheese burritos. Riley was right: those were amazing.

“Hey,” he said warily as he joined the group. The looked at him like they’d known him for their entire lives. It made him uneasy.

“Mate, you were brilliant yesterday! The way you just…” Riley made sword fighting motions with his hands, causing part of the group to groan and the other to laugh. “It’s like you were one with that sword, mate. Fuckin’ brilliant. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“One with the…? Riley, it’s not The Matrix!” Bri said, whacking him on the bicep.

Riley yelped and rubbed at his arm with a frown. “Which, clearly, you’ve never seen.”

“Sit down,” Cam said, sliding the chair beside him out for Jay. “Rock Band later. You in?”

“No, I think I’ll pass. I’ve got a lot to do tonight.”

“Alright,” Cam conceded as Jay expertly avoided Kalyn’s gaze. “Your loss. If you get bored, we’re right across the street.”

Something on the table caught Jay’s eye. “What’s that?”

Drew pulled a newspaper out from under his binder.

“We made the news,” Riley beamed proudly as Jay took the paper from Drew.

He unfolded it. There was a large picture of the monster he’d killed right there on the front page.

“Can I keep this?” He asked.

“Yeah, I’m done with it,” Drew replied.

“Thanks.”

* * *

Jay sat at his desk, staring at the newspaper in his hand. Angel Grove was welcoming the return of the heroes that disappeared twenty years ago. The entire paper was a tribute to them.

He exhaled a sigh of relief when he noted that he wasn’t in any of the pictures. The reporter must have been long gone before he’d arrived.

Jay wasn’t sure what convinced him to do it, but he cut out the picture of the monster and paper-clipped it to the last page of his notebook. With a sigh, he climbed out the window for a cigarette.

He had no idea how long he was outside but, eventually, his dad joined him.

“You know,” Jay said, “it defeats the purpose of having a place to think when you interrupt me every time I come out here _to_ think.”

His dad chuckled. “Sorry.”

“What are you doing out here, anyway?”

“I, um…” his dad pulled something out of his pocket. “I found this in the washer.” Jay stiffened. “You change your mind?”

“No,” he replied. “I don’t know. Maybe.” He rolled the coin across his knuckles absently. “Does Mom know?”

“No, I saw it before she did. You need to be careful where you leave that.”

Jay nodded. “I morphed the other day. First time. I fought alongside them.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“How did it feel?”

Jay chuffed. “I have no words.” He opened the notebook to the picture and handed it to his dad. “I killed Piglet myself, though. That felt… deeply karmic.”

“How so?” He asked, studying the picture in the notebook.

“I can’t explain it.”

“Are you going to keep helping them?”

“I don’t know,” Jay sighed. “I might. Just until they find someone else to do it.”

“It doesn’t really work that way, Jay.”

Jay took a drag of his cigarette and said, “Yeah, I was afraid of that.”

“You can still walk away, though.”

Jay exhaled a heavy breath and said, “No, I can’t. You know it and I know it and they know it. If I quit now, the bad guys win.” He paused before adding, “At least, that’s what Vala said.”

“Who’s Vala?”

“Glenda.” His dad made a face. “What is it?”

“Probably nothing,” Tommy sighed. “We had Zordon leading us.”

“Yeah, he died, though. Didn’t he?”

“He sacrificed himself,” his dad confirmed. “But, it’s not like the Power Rangers have been without some kind of mentor.” He handed the notebook back to Jay. “You’re gonna be okay, Jay.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“I know you. It may not seem like it right now, but you will be.”

“Does it ever get easier? Being a Power Ranger? Because I’m constantly on-edge. I can’t eat. I can’t sleep. It’s only been a couple of days.”

“In some ways, it does. You just have to find balance. For the other stuff, I’ll be there every step of the way. We’ll train. We’ll work out. I’m here to talk or listen. Whatever you need, Jay.”

“Why?” Tommy opened his mouth to reply but Jay interjected with, “And, don’t give me that crap about you being my dad.”

“I was _going_ to say because I know what it’s like to have to keep this secret. After everything you’ve been through, I can’t imagine what adding this to it is like. So, yes, you are my son and I’m concerned as your father. But, this is also your fight. I just want you to know that you don’t have to fight alone.”

Jay mulled it over for several long minutes before nodding. His dad patted his shoulder and said, “Don’t stay out here too late. You have school in the morning.”

“Night, Dad.”

“Night, bud.”


	10. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Part 10

Jay walked through the corridor of the Command Center, following the voices of his friends. The coin in his pocket threatened to burn a hole in his jeans and the cuff around his wrist felt like a chain. But, he was doing this. He _had_ to do this.

For Jamie.

For his own redemption.

“Jay!” Drew greeted as he entered the Power Chamber. Everyone looked at him pleasantly.

“Jay,” Vala greeted. “We’re pleased that you could join us.”

“I can’t stay long. I have to help my mom.” He set his backpack on the ground. “I was told this meeting was important so…” he gestured to Vala.

“Indeed,” she said before returning her attention to the group as a whole. “You’ve done well, Rangers, in your first battle. But, know that you must be diligent. I have no doubt that Rita was merely testing you this time.”

“This time,” Cam repeated.

“She will not rest until this world is hers,” Vala said with a deadly seriousness that sent a chill down Jay’s spine.

“Or, until we stop her,” he said. The group looked back at him, Jay hardly registered their shocked expressions. “I’ve made my opinion on this clear, but it seems like we don’t have a choice. We have work together. As a unit. Or she’ll kick our asses into next week.”

“So, what do you propose?” Drew asked.

“Our priority is protecting the people that we care about and minimizing collateral damage. I talked to my dad about his time as a ranger and things are already a bit different from when they fought Rita.”

“How so?” Cam inquired.

“Well, for one, we haven’t met her, yet. Apparently, they met her pretty quick. She was cocky and that was her problem. Something tells me that she’s learned her lesson over the last twenty years.”

“So, what do we do?” This time it was Bri.

“We prepare,” Jay said solemnly, not realizing that he sounded exactly like the leader Vala had hoped he would be. “We train. We patrol. We live our lives one day at a time.”

“Patrol?” Cam asked, his eyebrows furrowed.

“Yeah. I’ve been doing research. They used to hit downtown, the park, the warehouse district, the docks… So, we take it in quadrants.”

“Like cop beats?”

“Yeah, Drew. Like cop beats. No need to morph unless we see danger. We remain inconspicuous. We don’t want to draw undue attention ourselves.”

“What about training?” Kalyn asked. “Cam has football. I have dance. Drew has robotics. Bri plays volleyball.”

“We’ll work around it,” Jay said. “We don’t have a choice. We have to train. We’re new to this and we don’t have a lot of time to prepare. We have to stay in shape because this is a physical job.” He faced the robot. “Can you get us workout equipment if I tell you what to get?”

“Aye-yi-yi! Most certainly!” The robot responded with enthusiasm. “New Rangers! How exciting!”

Jay chuffed out a laugh. “Any other questions?” They only blinked at him. He faced Vala. “Are there some kind of archives we can review?” Vala studied him. “I’m assuming because you were able to show me footage from twenty years ago. It might help us.”

“Like game tapes?” Cam asked.

“Exactly. We can review them every day. Discuss.”

“You’re really jumping into this, aren’t you?” Riley said, clearly amused.

“They took the first swing when they attacked at school,” Jay replied firmly but without being unkind. “I don’t want any more surprises. So, yeah, we’re diving in head first. We’ll learn. We’ll train. We’ll stop them.”

“Excellent!” Riley replied with a grin.

“The world has been waiting for you, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers,” Vala said.

“Yeah, we’re not going to be called the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers,” Jay retorted.

“Why not?” Riley demanded.

“Because it sounds like a Mighty Morphin Saturday morning cartoon,” Jay deadpanned. “They can just call us Power Rangers. We need to be taken seriously; show Rita that we’re a force to be reckoned with.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Cam said.

Jay looked at each of his teammates and nodded.

“Okay. I gotta go.”

“May the power protect you,” Vala said.

“You have to stop saying that,” Jay replied, picking up his backpack. “It’s a little Star Wars-y.”

With that, he teleported away.

THE END.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the “pilot” of this series.
> 
> All updates will be added as new chapters to this story. At the conclusion of each episode, you’ll see “The End.” simply to keep this flowing smoothly.
> 
> In the meantime, follow me on Twitter and/or Tumblr for update links and all that fun stuff.
> 
> Twitter: @rationalcashew  
Tumblr: @rationalcashew  



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